Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
#13
Quantity:
measure
of
the
number
(intensity)
of
photons
in
the
beam,
the
higher
the
quantity/amount
of
radiation,
then
the
greater
the
exposure.
Quality:
measure
of
penetrating
power
of
the
beam.
mAs
(current):
the
beam
quantity
(intensity)
is
directly
proportional
to
the
mA
flowing
through
the
tube.
When
the
mA
is
increased
then
the
amount
of
photons
produced
will
increase.
mAs
is
the
unit
used
to
describe
the
product
of
tube
current
and
exposure
time.
mA
is
the
primary
controller
of
x-ray
quantity.
Quality
is
not
affected.
kVp:
is
voltage
and
can
be
thought
of
as
photon
energy;
as
kVp
is
increased
then
so
will
the
energy
and
speed
of
the
photons
in
the
beam.
The
average
photon
energy
is
around
30-
50%
of
the
entire
x-ray
emission
spectrum.
The
higher
the
energy
(voltage),
the
higher
the
quality
and
penetrating
power
of
the
beam.
Quantity
is
also
increased,
as
there
are
more
interactions
that
occur
in
the
tube
as
kVp
is
increased.
Distance:
quantity
(intensity)
is
decreased
when
distance
is
increased.
The
relationship
between
quantity
and
distance
can
be
described
as
inversely
proportional
to
the
square
of
the
distance
(the
inverse
square
law
is
applied;
EX:
a
doubling
of
the
distance
will
increase
the
area
of
the
square
by
4
times).
Scatter
is
also
increased
due
to
divergence
of
the
beam.
Quantity
is
decreased.
Filtration:
beam
is
harder-
meaning
soft
photons
are
removed.
Can
be
inherent
filtration
that
is
built
into
the
tube
or
it
can
be
added
filtration
(collimator,
aluminum
filter).
Increases
quality
(highly
penetrating
x-rays
are
able
to
penetrate
body
better
and
result
in
a
better
image)
and
decreases
patient
dose
and
quantity.
Half
Value
Layer
(HVL):
this
is
the
thickness
of
material
needed
to
reduce
the
beam
spread
by
half;
this
is
usually
done
with
aluminum
(generally
0.5cm
thickness).