Film Faults - Key Notes

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:43:50 GMT

Current Revision posted to Revision Guide For Student Nurses - Part 2 by Arlo Guthrie on 4/21/2009 7:43:50 AM

FILM FAULT	POSSIBLE CAUSES	SOLUTIONS
Abrasions	Mishandling of film during manual development.	Handle film carefully; with clean, dry hands & holding at the edges only.
Abrasions	Dirty rollers on automatic processor.	Clean the rollers.
Black film	Film has been exposed to normal light.	Ensure that cassette is properly closed; check for cracks.
Black splash marks	Developer splashes causing local prolonged development.	Exercise caution during manual development; do not agitate too vigorously & ensure that the work bench is clean & dry.
Brown/yellow stains (dichroic fog)	Insufficient rinsing during manual development.	Rinse manually developed films for at least 15 minutes in constantly circulating clean water.
Brown/yellow stains (dichroic fog)	Exhausted fixer.	Replenish fixer.
Contrast too high (soot & whitewash)	Underexposure.	Increase KV.
Contrast too high (soot & whitewash)	Overdevelopment.	Reduce developing time/temperature.
Contrast too low (flat film)	Fog from scattered radiation.	Use a grid or collimate beam to a smaller area.
	Overexposure.	Reduce KV.
	Underdevelopment.	Increase developing time/temperature or replenish as necessary.
Crimp marks	Film creased during development.	Handle film carefully and by the edges only; use the correct size hangers during manual development.
Definition poor	Inappropriate exposure settings.	Adjust settings as necessary.
	Movement blur.	Stabilise patient & equipment.
	Object-film distance too great.	Reduce object-film distance.
	Poor screen film contact.	Use a new cassette.
Density too high	Overdevelopment	Check temperature, concentration & development time & reduce levels as necessary.
Density too high	Overexposure	Reduce KV.
Density too low	Underdevelopment	Increase temperature or concentration of the developer or increase development time.
Density too low	Underexposure	Increase KV.
Fogging	Scattered radiation	Use a grid; collimate beam to a smaller area; store films away from radiography area.
Fogging	Safelight problems	Check that the correct filter is in use, that a bulb of 25W is used and that the light is not too close to the work bench.
Grease marks	Handling film with dirty fingers.	Always ensure that hands are clean & dry; handle film by the edges only.
Lightning flashes	Static marks.	Remove film slowly from the storage box when reloading cassette.
Movement blur	Cassette movement.	Tape cassette to the table.
	Instability of the tube head.	Stabilise tube head.
	Patient movement.	Restrain patient (ideally under GA).
Patches of light & dark	Uneven development.	Ensure that developer is regularly replenished and at the correct temperature.
Streaking	Dirty rinsing water.	Use clean, constantly circulating water for rinsing.
	Dirty hangers.	Always use clean hangers.
	Insufficient rinsing.	Rinse for at least 15 minutes.
	Watermarks from drying.	X-rays must be hung flat in a warm, clean, dustfree and dry environment.
Transparent film	Unexposed film has been developed.	Ensure that the x-ray machine is working; keep unused cassettes away from those in use.
Unsharpness (blurred margins of edges of structures)	Fog from scatter.	Use grid; collimate beam to smaller area.
	Movement blur.	Stabilise equipment/patient.
	Object-film distance too great.	Reduce object-film distance.
	Poor screen-film contact.	Check cassette pressure pad.
White specks	Dirt on the intensifying screens.	Clean intensifying screens regularly.
White splash marks	Fixer splashes.	Agitate manually developed films with care & ensure that work bench is clean & dry.