Resident

Resident Physics
Physics Lectures
Lectures

• Christensen, Chapter 3B

X-Ray
Generator
Circuit George David
Associate Professor
Medical College of Georgia
Department of Radiology
 X-Ray
X-Ray Generator
Generator

• Supplies electrical power to x-

ray tube
 high voltage between anode & cathode
 filament voltage

• Controls exposure timing

 Turns exposure on and off
 High voltage switched on and off
» Filament heated before exposure
 Generator
Generator Components
Components

• control console
 kVp adjust
 mA adjust or mAs
 time adjust adjust

• transformer
 high voltage (step up)
 filament
» low voltage (step down)

• electronics cabinet
 support circuitry
 X-ray
X-ray Circuit
Circuit

High
Rectifier
Voltage
Circuit
Timer Transformer
Circuit

Auto-
Line trans-

+
former

mA Filament
selector Transformer
 High
Rectifier
Voltage
Circuit
Timer Transformer
Circuit

Auto-
Line trans-

+
former

mA Filament
selector Transformer

Line
Incoming line voltage connected to generator
through a circuit breaker.
Typ. 220-240 volt AC single phase
240, 480 volt AC three phase
 Incoming
Incoming Power
Power

• Line affects generator performance

– diameter of wire
– length or wire
– other devices sharing branch circuit

• Resistance of power line wires can

reduce generator voltage during
exposure affecting
 power available to x-ray tube
 calibration
 Circuit
Circuit Breaker
Breaker
• Generator connected to power line through a
circuit breaker
• Limits current from power line to generator
• Allows generator to be disconnected from
power line

Incoming
Power Generator
Line
Circuit
Breaker
 Line
Line Voltage
Voltage
Compensation
Compensation
• Incoming voltage can vary during day
• Generators need to correct for
changes in line voltage
 power line fluctuations affect calibration

Incoming
Power Generator
Line
Circuit
Breaker
Line
Line Voltage
Voltage Compensation
Compensation

• Compensation may be
 automatic
» most new & high end equipment
 manual
» user must make adjustment

Line

Line
Compensation
 High
Rectifier
Voltage
Circuit
Timer Transformer
Circuit

Auto-
Line trans-

+
former

mA Filament
regulator Transformer

Autotransformer
•High voltage Transformer has fixed ratio
•Autotransformer has variable ratio
•Autotransformer needed to provide variable kilovoltage to tube
 Autotransformer
Autotransformer
major kV
selector to high voltage
Timer transformer
Circuit
primary

Line minor kV
selector
to filament
transformer
primary
mA
regulator
Line
Compensation Autotransformer does line compensation &
kVp selection
 Generator
Generator Voltages
Voltages
• Input line voltage
 single or three phase
 115 - 480 Volts AC 1

• Autotransformer
 provides variable voltage to primary of high
voltage transformer


Auto High Voltage
Transformer Transformer

Timer
Power Circuit
Line
 High
High Voltage
Voltage Circuit
Circuit
• Supplies high voltage for x-ray tube
• Step-up transformer
 primary from autotransformer
 secondary to rectifier circuit
 mA monitored at center grounded point of secondary

Auto- Rectifier
mA
transformer Circuit

High Voltage
Transformer
 High
High Voltage
Voltage Transformer
Transformer

• Grounded metal box

• filled with oil
 electrical insulator

• Function
 increases or decreases alternating voltage

• Also contains rectifier circuit

 changes alternating current into direct current

 Self
Self (tube)
(tube) Rectified
Rectified Circuit
Circuit
•X-Ray tube acts as rectifier
•Current only flows from cathode to anode
•cathode is source of free electrons
•Rarely seen
Secondary of
High Voltage
Transformer
Voltage applied to tube

mA waveform
 Self-rectification
Self-rectification
Disadvantages
Disadvantages
Wasted Used

• hot anode can emit

electrons
Voltage applied to
 accelerate & can destroy x-ray tube
filament

• half of electrical cycle

wasted mA waveform

X-Rays Produced
 Halfwave
Halfwave Rectifier
Rectifier Circuit
Circuit

•X-ray tube connected to

secondary of high voltage +
transformer through diode
rectifiers
•Alternating voltage applied to
secondary of high voltage
transformer
-

Voltage applied to tube

Halfwave
Halfwave Rectifier
Rectifier Circuit
Circuit
+
First Half Cycle:
Diodes closed
Voltage applied to tube
Tube current (mA) results
-
-
-
Second Half Cycle:
X Diodes open
No voltage applied to tube
No tube current (mA)
-
+
 Halfwave
Halfwave Rectified
Rectified Circuit
Circuit
•60 pulses per second
•only positive half cycle of high tension transformer used
•inefficient
•negative half cycle wasted

Secondary of
High Voltage
Transformer

Output of High Tension Transformer Applied to X-ray Tube

Applied to x-ray tube

Blocked (not used)

 Fullwave
Fullwave Rectifier
Rectifier
• Four diodes
• 120 pulses/second
• exposure times half of halfwave circuit

Secondary of
High Voltage
Transformer

Voltage applied to tube

(also mA waveform)
Fullwave
Fullwave Rectifier
Rectifier
Voltage applied to tube
(also mA waveform)
First Half Cycle Second Half Cycle

+ -
X X
X X
-
+
 Full-Wave
Full-Wave Rectification
Rectification
• Rectifiers
 Four diode “bridge” configuration used
with single phase
Tube
• both + & - half cycle of high
tension transformer used
 efficient
 circuit reverses negative half cycle &
applies to x-ray tube
Output of High Tension Transformer Applied to X-ray Tube
 Pulsed
Pulsed Radiation
Radiation
• single phase input power results in
pulsed radiation
• Disadvantages
 intensity only significant when voltage is near peak
 low voltage heats target and produces low-energy
photons
» absorbed in tube, filter, or patient
• can contribute to dose

Applied to X-ray Tube Radiation Waveform

 Three-Phase
Three-Phase Generators
Generators

• Commercial power generally

delivered as 3 phase
• phases 120o apart

Single Phase Power Three Phase Power

 Three-Phase
Three-Phase Generators
Generators
• Rectifier circuit
 Inverts negative voltage
 sends highest of 3 phases to x-ray tube

Rectified
Input 3 Phase Voltage

To X-Ray Tube
 Three-Phase
Three-Phase Generators
Generators
• much higher tube ratings than
single phase
• more efficient than single phase
 shorter exposures
 lower exposure

Single Phase Power Three Phase Output

 3
3 Generator
Generator Circuits
Circuits
• pulses
 number of peaks per 1/60 second (16.6 msec)
power line cycle

• windings
 3 primary coils (one for each phase)
 3 or 6 secondary
» with 6 secondaries, 2 secondary coils induced per
primary

Three Phase Output

 Ripple
Ripple

• variation of kilovoltage from maximum

• usually expressed as percentage of
maximum kV

Ripple
 Ripple
Ripple Example
Example

80 kVp

72 kVp

Ripple = 80 - 72 = 8 kVp
OR
8 / 80 = .1 = 10%
 Ripple
Ripple Typical
Typical Values
Values
• single phase
 always 100 % (kV ranges from
Single Phase Output
zero to maximum)

• three phase
 4-13%

• constant potential Three Phase Output

0 %

• Medium / high
frequency
Constant Potential or
 very low; approx 0. High Frequency Output
 Three
Three Phase
Phase Transforming
Transforming

• 3 coils can be hooked up in 2

ways

Delta Wye
 3-phase
3-phase generator
generator
• Primary windings
 generally delta

• Secondary windings
Primary
 may be delta or wye

Secondary
 3-phase
3-phase generator
generator
• Six pulse six rectifier
 one primary delta
 one secondary wye
 six rectifiers Primary
» One on each side of each secondary coil
 13.5% ripple Ripple

Three Phase Output

Secondary
 33 Phase
Phase Generator
Generator
• 6-Pulse Twelve Rectifier
 1 delta primary
 2 wye secondaries
» 6 secondary windings
• two diodes per winding
Primary
 13.5% ripple

Ripple

Secondary Secondary

Three Phase Output

 33 Phase
Phase Generator
Generator
• 12-Pulse Twelve Rectifier
 1 delta primary
 2 secondaries, 1 wye, 1 secondary
» 30o phase difference between
secondaries
» 6 secondary windings
Primary
• 2 diodes per winding
 3.5% ripple

Ripple

Secondary Secondary

Three Phase Output

 High
Rectifier
Voltage
Circuit
Timer Transformer
Circuit

Auto-
Line trans-

+
former

mA Filament
regulator Transformer

mA regulator
•Circuitry for mA selection
•Adjusts mA on the fly during exposure.
 High
Rectifier
Voltage
Circuit
Timer Transformer
Circuit

Auto-
Line trans-

+
former

mA Filament
selector Transformer

Filament Transformer
Steps down AC voltage from Autotransformer
& mA selector to smaller AC voltage required
by filament (8-12 volts typical)
 mA
mA selection
selection
•Allows selection from available
discrete mA stations.
•Applies correct voltage to primary of
filament transformer.

Line
to filament
10 mA transformer
25 mA
50 mA mA primary
100 mA
200 mA stabilizer
300 mA
400 mA

Line
Compensation
 mA
mA Stabilization
Stabilization During
During
Exposure
Exposure
• On first trigger
 mA regulator supplies anticipated voltage to filament
transformer primary

• mA monitored during exposure

• Corrections made to filament voltage
during exposure as necessary
 if mA low, filament voltage raised
 if mA high, filament voltage lowered
Generator
Generator kilowatt
kilowatt (kW)
(kW) Rating
Rating

• measured under load

• kW rating changes with kVp
• Standard
 measure at 100 kVp
Generator
Generator kW
kW Rating
Rating

• three phase
 kV X mA / 1000
 mAmax / 10 at 100 kVp

1000 mA @ 70 kVp
800 mA @ 80 kVp
600 mA @ 100 kVp
300 mA @ 120 kVp

600 / 10 = 60 kW
Generator
Generator kW
kW Rating
Rating

• single phase
 kV X mA X 0.7 / 1000
 mAmax X 0.7 / 10 at 100 kVp

600 mA @ 70 kVp
500 mA @ 80 kVp
400 mA @ 100 kVp
250 mA @ 120 kVp

400 X 0.7 / 10 = 28 kW
 1
1 vs.
vs. 3
3 Generators
Generators
1 3
• Typical home &  Industrial power
small business  expensive
power
 transformer windings
• inexpensive
• 3 primary coils
• transformer • one for each phase
windings
 1 primary coil
• 6 secondary coils
 1 secondary coil » 2 secondary coils
induced per primary)
 1
1 vs.
vs. 3
3 Generators
Generators
1 3
• 100% ripple  4-13% ripple
• 8 ms minimum exp. • higher average kVp
Time • slightly less patient
 1/120th second
exposure
• lower output
 <=1 ms minimum exp.
intensity
• puts less heat in time
tube for same  higher output intensity
technique  puts more heat in tube
 Exposure
Exposure Time
Time Control
Control

• mechanical
 Obsolete(no longer in use)

• electronic, measuring
» time (crystal)
» power line pulses

• automatic (phototiming)
phototiming
 terminates exposure based on radiation received by
receptor
 Phototiming
Phototiming Geometry
Geometry
• entrance type
 detector in front of film
 detector must be essentially
invisible

• exit type
 detector behind film
 obsolete except for
mammography
» detector visible because of high
contrast image

Grid
Film
Entrance type Exit type
Sensor Sensor
 Phototiming
Phototiming Radiation
Radiation Detectors
Detectors
• screen & photomultiplier tubes
(PM Tubes)
» obsolete

• ionization chambers
• solid-state detectors
 Ionization
Ionization Chambers
Chambers

• Almost always
entrance type Photon
+
• Notes
 thin parallel aluminum plates -
are electrodes +
» voltage applied between plates
-
» collect ions produced by
radiation in air between
electrodes
 collected ions produce
electric current
 Solid
Solid State
State Detectors
Detectors
• PN semiconductor junction
generates current when struck
by radiation
• small
• fast response
• little beam attenuation
Photon Electric
Current
 Phototiming
Phototiming Fields
Fields
• 1, 2, or 3
• fields may be selected
individually or in combination
• proper positioning critical
 Phototiming
Phototiming Notes
Notes

• must be calibrated for particular

film-screen system
• some generators allow selection
from several preset film/screen
combinations
 Phototiming
Phototiming Notes
Notes

• phototimer must correct for

 rate response
 kVp response of
» film/screen system
» phototiming sensor
 Higher kVp beam more penetrating
» Less attenuated by phototimer detector

• safety
 exposure limited to 600 mAs if phototimer
does not terminate exposure (2000 mAs for <
50 kV)