Dark Room

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What is a dark room used for?

The main use of a darkroom is to print your photographs in the traditional way. Its called
a darkroom because it is almost completely dark – apart from a red light called a “safe light”.
This is really important because it allows you to handle the light-sensitive materials necessary to
make traditional darkroom prints.

Dark Room Layout


 The latent image produced when a radiographic film is exposed to a beam of X-ray can be
visualized and examined only after the film has been suitably processed in the dark room. However,
the most detailed and careful radiographic technique in the X-ray room can be wasted unless it is
matched by similar high standard in the dark room.
 It is essential that the dark room should be suitably constructed and that the processing solutions
should be suitable maintained and used.
 A room should be set aside as a permanent dark room, ideally with a floor area of not less than
8X6 ft (2.6 X 2 m). Although individual circumstances must dictate where a dark room is to be sited,
the following points might be borne in mind:
 The room must be capable of being made completely lightproof.
 It should not be damp or subjected to extreme of temperature.
 Water and electrical outlets should be provided.
 A room should be set aside as a permanent dark room with sufficient space to accommodate a
dry bench (3 x 2), a wet bench and a sink.
 Too large room is as undesirable as small room.
 Dark room should be near the x-ray examination area.
 The room must be capable of being made completely light proof to avoid film fog and should be
well ventilated.
 The wall should be constructed of solid concrete (15 cm thick), have a lead box inside to store
boxes of unexposed films currently in use.
 Sufficient running water and electrical outlet should be provided
 The walls and roof should be painted by white or cream enamel as such a paint acts as a good
reflecting surface fore safe light.
 X-ray rotating warning light in hallway switched "on" signaling that x-ray machine is operating.

Dark Room Equipments


Film cassettes:
 A cassette is alight-tight metal container which is designed to hold the x-ray film and intensifying
screens in close contact.
 The front face which is of aluminum or plastic, faces the tube while the other side have a sheet of lead
to absorbed back-scatter screens and cassettes are of course made in various sizes to correspond
with standard film sizes.
Mounting intensifying screens in the cassette
 Intensifying screens should be never be loose but must be properly mounted into the cassette.
 Because certain adhesives interact with the screens it is advisable to use only the double-sided tape
provided by the manufacturers.
The care of cassettes
 Do not drop them on a hard floor
 Do not trap the edges of the screens when the cassette is closed
 Cassettes should be kept clean and there is always the danger of blood or urine leaking to the inside
of the cassette. When a cassette must be placed in a dirty situation put it in a plastic bag.
Top Check for contrast
 Good contrast between screens and the film in the cassette is vitally important. If radiographs should
areas with loss definition, check the cassette.
Dry Bench
 The dry bench is where the cassette are unloaded and recharged with fresh film. It must be impossible
for splashes of developer to reach the dry bench surface.
 The top of the dry bench must be large enough to accommodate the largest cassette in use when
opened out.
 The top surface should be either of wood or linoleum. Plastic laminates are not recommended
because they hold static charges of electricity which can cause marks on films.
 It is usual to store film boxes, especially those in current use , beneath the dry bench , either in a
cupboard ( protected if near an X-ray set ) or in a film hopper.
 The processing frames should hang above the bench , cash size on its appropriate. There are two
designs of processing frame– the channel type and the clip type.
Top Wet Bench
 The wet bench is where the processing of the films is carried out . It is possible to process the
individual films in flat dishes but the method has a number of disadvantages and is not be
recommended.
 The usual method is to use a set of tanks holding developer ,rinse water and fixer , and a larger tank
for washing the films.
Heaters
 Standardized processing requires the developer to be at the optimum temperature of 20c (68 f).
 The heater is put into the developer and the current switched on. On an average, the temperature will
be raised by 1 degree per minute. In very cold weather it is also desirable to heat the fixer.
Washing Tank
 The washing tank should be at least four times larger than the developer tank, with a supply of cold
water constantly circulating through it, via a rubber hose, when films are being washed.
Top Drying
 Films can be dried by removing them from the channel hanger, attaching a film clip, and hanging on a
tensioned wire strung up in a dust-ree place.
Safe-lighting
 X-ray film before processing is sensitive to white light; it must only be handled under safe-lighting.
 A safe-light is a box containing a low wattage bulb behind a specified filter. This is a sheet of dyed
gelatin between glass.
Two forms of safe light can be used in the radiographic dark room:
 Direct: A diffuse light shines direct over the work point such as the dry and wet bench.
 Indirect: the filtered light is directed up to the ceiling where it is reflected over the room.
Safe light efficiency
 Safe light should be placed so that the work of the dark room can be done without fumbling. Where the
dry and wet benches are separate, a small direct wall light should be provided for each.
Top Processing room and equipment
 A radiographic processing room must capable of being made completely dark. The room must be kept
clean and it should not be used for other purposes. A red, orange or yellow safe light may be used.
 The arrangement of the dark room should provide easy accessibility during processing a bench for
loading and unloading cassettes should be placed at one side of the room and the processing tanks at
the opposite side the bench should be some distance from the processing tanks.
 Immediately above or below the bench there should be space for storing film hangers. Unexposed x-
ray film and cassettes should be stored in a cool dry place such as the processing room.
 The processing equipment include a developing tank of sufficient size to contain a 14x17 inch x-ray
film an intermediate wash tank and a fixer tank.
 Processing tanks should be cleaned periodically, usually at every changes of solution. Sodium
hypochlorite (Clorox) diluted in 4 parts of water is recommended for stainless-steel and hard-rubber
tanks. These tanks should be scrubbed with a fiber brush.

Radiographic Processing
 Correct processing of radiographs is a key factor in good radiography. Correct processing is not an
expensive procedure; however an understanding of basic fundamentals and needs is required to avoid
unnecessary that might destroy the detail of a radiograph. The first consideration will be x-ray film and
its processing.
 The latent image produced when a radiographic film is exposed to a beam of X-ray can be visualized
and examined only after the film has been suitably processed in the dark room .
 However, the most detailed and careful radiographic technique in the X-ray room can be wasted
unless it is matched by similar high standards in the dark room. It is essential that the dark room
should be suitably maintained and used.
 The exposed film is removed from the cassette in a safely lighted dark room and placed in stainless
steel processing frame. It is then immersed in a tank of developer which completes the reduction of the
exposed grains of silver halide, and makes the image visible.
 After a specified time the film is taken out of the developer, rinsed in water and then immersed in the
fixer bath. This solution removes the undeveloped emulsion.
 The image can be inspected in white light. after 10 minutes in the fixer bath the film is washed in
running water for half an hou, to remove the processing chemicals and then hung up to dry.
Top Details of radiographic processing:
Storing unexposed x-ray film it should be stored in cool dry place protected from radiation in upright
position.
Loading the X-ray film
 The X-ray film should be correctly positioned within the cassette by touching only the corners.
 The central portion should never be touched. Then the cassette should be closed and locked.
Storing x-ray cassettes
 Loaded x-ray cassettes should be stored in an upright position in cool dry place within the dark room.
Removing the x-ray film from the cassette
 The processing room should be darkened except for the safe light. Great care must be taken in
removing the x-ray film from the cassette to prevent damage of the intensifying screens. The workers
fingers should not touch the screens of the cassette. Rubbing the film across the end of the cassette
must be avoided to avoided black pressure scratches on the developed radiograph.
Developing X-Ray Film
 The processing solutions should be stirred before processing the film. The x-ray film should be placed
in the developing solution and agitated briefly to remove any air bubbles.
 It should be left in the developer for five minutes, if the temperature is 68° F. If the temperature varies
from 68° F the developing time should be varied accordingly. Below 60° F, developing chemical are
quite sluggish casing under development and inadequate fixation.
 A bone 75°f developing chemical work too rapidly causing fogging and too much softening the
emulsion chemicals.
Top Time-Temperature Variations for Film Developing
Temperature degrees 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76

Time in minutes 9 71/2 61/2 51/2 5 4 31/2 31/4 3

 The developing chemicals reduce the exposed silver halides in the emulsion to metallic silver, which is
black. The increase in intensity of light from the intensifying screens causes more of the silver halides
to turn to metallic silver, thus giving the various shades of gray and black on the developed radiograph.
 Two forms of developing chemicals are used, one a liquid and the other a powder. Liquid chemicals
are more convenient, the powder variety may disseminate powder dust throughout the room.
 The developing solution should be tightly covered when not in use to reduce oxidation. The solution
should be discarded and replaced after three months of use because oxidation and accumulation of
gelatin sludge and other impurities will cause poor development. A more practical method of
determining it the developing solution should be discarded is to notice the color. As the solution
weakens it first turns yellow, then brown. When it turns brown, indicating exhaustion, it should be
replaced.
 X-ray film should be quickly removed from the developer and, in one motion placed into the post-
developer water rinse. The developing solution should not be allowed to drip from the film back into the
developer tank. The developing solution on the film will be nearly exhausted and a certain amount of
developer should be removed each time to reduce the level so that developer replenisher solution may
be added periodically. This keeps the developer at the proper level and at the correct chemical
strength.
 Reloading the Cassette:
 During the time that the x-ray film is in the developer the cassettes should be reloaded as previously
described.
 Top Post-development Rinse
 The post-development rinse, which ordinarily will take 30 seconds, should be circulating clean water.
The rinsing process can be shortened by continually agitating the film. After the rinse is completed the
film should be drained to prevent excess dilution of the fixer.
 Clearing and fixing X-ray Film
 After its removal from the rinse, x-ray film should be placed in the fixing solution and agitated for 15
seconds. This helps prevent streaking and staining of the finished radiograph and hastens the fixation
process.
 The temperature range for fixation should be the same as that for development, with 68° F optimum.
The developing and fixing solutions should have the same temperatures to avoid unevenness of
development and reticulation of the final radiograph.
 Final Washing of the Radiograph
 Adequate washing prevents discoloration it should be performed in running water at 68 F. washing for
20 minutes is adequate.
 Top Drying the radiograph
 The radiograph may be dried in open air or in an automatically heated, circulating air dryer fresh fixer
solution hastens drying. If temperature of fixation is above 75o F, drying time will he markedly slower
due to swelling of the emulsion.
 Storing Radiographs:
 Processed radiographs should have the corners cut off and be placed in a properly labeled envelope.
The envelope should be stored in an upright position in a storage bin. A numbering system should be
used so that radiographs can be easily found.
 Automatic processing
 Reliable short time automatic processors are available. It should be 90-seconds processor because
the reliability and reproducibility is as good as these for the slower processors.
 Where large number of radiographs have to be handled, automatic processing reduces the time and
labor needed and results in a consistent end product . However, the cost of the initial equipment, of
maintenance and the increased amount of chemicals required would seldom justify its use in
veterinary practice.
 Top Hanging x-ray film
 X- ray film should be grasped only at the corners and inserted into the clips of the film hangers and
locked in place. The upper corner of the film grasped and a Hached to the top clips. The film now
ready to be placed in the developing tank.
 The clips of the film hanger should be cleaned periodically to prevent an accumulation of chemicals
that may rundown on the film during processing and cause streaks.
 Manufacturers specify the correct type.
 Two forms of safe-light can be used in the radiographic dark room.
 Direct: a diffused light shines directly over the work point, such as the dry and wet bench.
 Indirect: the filtered light is directed up to the ceiling where it is reflected over the room.
 Safe-light efficiency: Safe-lights should be placed so that the work of the dark room can be done
without fumbling . where the dry and wet benches are separate , a small direct wall light should be
provided for each.

Identification of the radiograph


 It is helpful , and in some circumstances essential, to have certain information incorporated in the
radiograph, so that it is available when the film is examined subsequently . This may include:
 a. An " L " or " R " to identify a particular limb or side of the patient .
 b. Some indication of the time which has elapsed since the administration of a contrast medium .
 c. The date of radiography.
 d. Some means of identifying the particular patient.
 This information may be added to the radiographic during radiography, during processing, or
subsequently when the film is dry. Obviously the earlier the details can be attached to the film the less
the risk of mistake occurring.
 Writ the owner’s name together with other relevant information in pencil on the top right – hand corner
of the film, if other methods of identification are not used Close the cassette.
Top Identification During radiography

 The simplest way of carrying this out is by placing lead letters or numbers on top of the film holder
(preferably fixed with Sellotape or similar radio translucent material) before making the radiographic
exposure .
 " L ", " R " and similar markers should be always be added at this stage. If this information is attached
to the film later it is only too easy to make mistake in identifying a particular side of the patient .
Identification During Processing
Essential information can be penciled on a corner of the film in the dark room immediately before
processing .
Care and storage of the dry radiograph
 The following notes on the care and storage of dry films may be useful:
 Make sure the films are dry.
 The practice of keeping films in their original paper protective folders from the film box is cheap, but
less acceptable when many films are to be stored . It is more convenient to keep them in film storage
envelops .
 Film envelopes can be filed either in a cabinet or on open shelves. It will be found that it is much easier
to file films if all the envelopes are the same size.
 Films of outstanding interest can be further protected by sealing them in polythene covers from which
they need not to removed when handling and viewing.
Top X-ray Film Processing Sequence

Preliminary
Check that the developer is at the correct level and temperature and has been stirred . Select the correct
film hanger. Switch on safe –lights. Switch off white light.
Dry Bench
 Open the back plate of the cassette and gently shake the top well so the film can be grasped at its
edge by the finger and thumb (photographa).
 Loading the hanger if a channel type hanger is used, hold it in the left hand and slide the film into the
channels and close the top hinge (photograph b).
 A tension clip hanger is loaded by inserting the film first into the bottom clips, then turning the hunger
the right way up , insert the film into the upper spring clips (photograph c).
Loading the hunger
 If a channel type hunger is used hold it in the left hand and slide the film into the channels and close
the top hinge.
 A tension clip hunger is loaded by inserting the film first into the bottom clips then turning the hunger
the right way up, insert the film into the upper spring clips.
Identification
 Right the owner's name together with other relevant information in pencil on the top right-hand corner
of the film if other methods of identification are not used.
 Close the cassette.
Wet Bench
 Place the film in the developer (photographed) and agitate two or three times to remove any air
bubbles on the film surface . Place the lid on the developer tank .
 Set the interval timer.
 If the hands are wet, rinse and dry thoroughly.
Top Reloading the cassette

 Open the lid of the X-ray film box and extract a film in its folder by its edge . Film emulsion is sensitive
to pressure, so don’t fold or buckle film by careless handling.
 Open the cassette.
 Pull back the top leaf of the protective holder, twist the wrest and drop the film into the well of the
cassette. Withdraws the folder. Run a finger around the edge of the well to make sure that the film is
not protruding over the edge.
 Close the cassette and replace the top on the film box.
 At the end of the developing period, left out the film and allow the solution to drain back into the
developer tank for a few seconds.
 Rinse in water for about 10 seconds.
 Place the film in the fixer and wait for 30 seconds.
 The white light can now be switched on.
 When the milky appearance caused by the dissolving silver halides had disappeared the film can be
viewed for technical quality and professional diagnosis.
 The film should be washed in running water for half an hour.
Drying
 The usual method of drying a small quantity of films is to take them out of the channel hangers, attach
drying clips and hang them on a tensioned wire line in a dust-free place where there is a free air
circulation . the films should not touch each other.
Radiographic Interpretation
 The radiograph should not be read when wet. A wet film should be examined only to see if the exposure
is correct, the desired anatomical areas have been included on the film, the positioning is adequate, and
radiographic detail is sharp.
 A final conclusion concerning the radio-graphic study should be made only from a dry radiograph.

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