Image Characteristics

Image characteristics include

density, contrast, speed, and
latitude.
 Film Density
Film density represents the degree of darkening of
an exposed x-ray film. White areas (e.g., metallic
restorations) have no density and black areas (air
spaces) have maximum density. The areas in
between these two extremes (tooth structure, bone)
are represented by various shades of gray.
 Film Density
Radiolucent: refers to high film density, which
appears in a range from dark gray to black. Soft
tissue, air spaces, and pulp tissue, all of which have
low object density, appear as radiolucent areas on a
film (see next slide).

Radiopaque: refers to area with low film density,

which appear in a range from light gray to white on
the film. (The “white” areas of the film are actually
clear, but appear white when the light from a
viewbox passes through the film). Structures with
high object density, such as enamel, bone and
metallic restorations will appear radiopaque (see
next slide).
Radiolucent Radiopaque

Soft tissue Cement base

Air space Enamel

Pulp tissue Amalgam

Mental foramen Bone

The overall density of the film affects the
diagnostic value of the film. Only the center film
below has the proper density. The one on the left
is too light (low density) and the film on the right
is too dark (high density); both of these films are
non-diagnostic.
 Film Density influenced by:
Patient size: the larger the patient’s head, the more
x-rays that are needed to produce an ideal film
density

Exposure factors (mA, kVp, exposure time).

Some patients require a change in exposure
factors (increase for large adult, decrease for
child) to maintain proper film density. An
unnecessary increase in any of these factors
results in an increase in film density.
 Film Density influenced by:
Object density: determined by type of
material (metal, tooth structure,
composite, etc.) and by amount of
material. Metallic restorations have
higher object density than tooth structure.
Film density decreases (film gets lighter)
when object density increases, assuming
no changes are made in the exposure
factors.
In the film at right, the post and core in
each tooth has a high object density,
resulting in low film density.
 Film Density influenced by:
Film fog: This is an increased film density resulting
from causes other than exposure to the primary x-ray
beam. This includes scatter radiation, improper
safelighting, improper film storage, and using expired
film. All of these things will cause extra silver halide
crystals on the film to be converted to black metallic
silver, resulting in an overall increase in the film
density and making the film less diagnostic.

fog
 Contrast

Contrast refers to the difference in film densities

between various regions on a radiograph.
Structures with different object densities produce
images with different film densities.
 High Contrast
High contrast implies that there is a pronounced
change from the light to the dark areas of the film.
There are fewer shades of gray, the predominant
densities being either very light or very dark. High
contrast is also known as short scale contrast.

Theoretically, high contrast is best for caries

detection, the radiolucent carious lesion showing up
distinctly against the surrounding radiopaque
enamel.
 Low Contrast
With low contrast, there are many shades of gray
seen on the film, with less pronounced changes
from light to dark. This is also known as long scale
contrast.

Low contrast is best for periapical or periodontal

evaluation. Slight changes caused by bone loss
will be more evident, showing up as a darker gray
than the surrounding area.
 Contrast influenced by:
Subject Contrast: In order to see
an image on the film, the objects
being radiographed must have
different object densities. If
everything had the same object
density, the film would be blank.
In the film at right, the teeth,
restorations, bone, air spaces,
etc., all have different object
densities, allowing us to see them
on the film.
 Contrast influenced by:

kVp: kVp controls the energy

(penetrating ability) of the x-
rays. The higher the kVp, the
more easily the x-rays pass
through objects in their path,
resulting in many shades of
gray (low contrast). At lower
kVp settings, it is harder for x-
rays to pass through objects
with higher object densities,
40 50 60 70 80 90 100
resulting in a higher contrast
kVp settings
(short scale).
 0
Contrast influenced by:
Film contrast: this is incorporated into the film by the
manufacturer. In general, high film contrast (green
curve below) requires very precise exposure of the
film; if it is too high or too low, the film will be too dark
or too light, resulting in a non-diagnostic film. With low
film contrast (purple curve) the film will be diagnostic
over a broader range of film exposure.
Density

Exposure of film
 0
Contrast influenced by:

Film fog: as discussed under density, film fog

makes the whole film darker. This makes it harder
to see the density differences (contrast), making
the film less diagnostic.

fog

Fogged film
 Latitude
The latitude of a film represents the range of
exposures that will produce diagnostically
acceptable densities on a film. A wide latitude film
will more readily image both hard and soft tissues on
a film.

As the latitude of a film increases, the contrast of the

film decreases.

High Contrast
Density

Wide Latitude

Log Relative Exposure

 Speed
The speed of a film represents the amount of
radiation required to produce a radiograph of
acceptable density. The higher the speed, the less
radiation needed to properly expose the film. Higher
speed films have larger silver halide crystals; the
larger crystals cover more area and are more likely to
interact with the x-rays.

F-speed film (Insight) has the highest speed of

intraoral films. An F-speed film requires 60% less
radiation than a D-speed film.