Steps of x-ray Production

One

Turn on power to the x-ray machine.

Two

Perform tube warm up.

-helps the tube have longer life.

Three

Press the exposure switch.

- The exposure switch operates off the low voltage side of the circuit.

Four

While the exposure switch is being pressed, current travels from the control panel to the
tube head through electrical wires.

Five

The current then goes to the line compensator.

-The line compensator is located on the primary side of the circuit board.
-Adjusts the voltage to 220V.

Six

From there the current goes to the autotransformer which is also located on the primary
side of the circuity board.
-The autotransformer is controlled by the kVp on the console by us.
-The autotransformer has one core wiring.

Seven

Next the current goes to the kVp meter, which reads the voltage coming out of the
autotransformer.

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Eight

The current is then travels to the high-voltage step-up transformer.

-The step-up transformer is located half in the primary side and the other half in the
secondary side of the circuit.
-Its purpose is to increase voltage from the primary coil to the secondary coil.

Nine

From there is current flows to the four-diode rectifier

-The four-diode rectifier changes the AC current to DC current which will flow in one
direction.
-The rectifier includes two semiconductors. One type is P (positive) and the other is
N(negative.)
-The P type has many electron traps.
-The N type has many free electrons.
-The two interact together by going between the PN junction. The anode is the P type and
the N is the cathode side.

Ten

When then go into the different Rectification waves

Single phase:

Not very efficient. Only 70% of x-rays created at peak kV. The rest dont have enough to
produce penetrating x-rays. Goes from 0 to peak and back to 0. At 0 there is no potential
difference and no x-rays are formed. Causes 100% ripple. Wastes energy.
Full wave:
Uses full AC current 100% ripple.

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3-phase 6-pulse:
6 rectifiers
More efficient than single phase. A full wave rectified 3-phase, 6-pulse waveform produces more
energy than full-wave rectified, single phase. 87% of x-rays produced are at peak kilo-voltage.
Less ripple so it produces better and more consistent x-rays. More efficient than single phase. 3
separate waveforms synchronized 1/3 out of step with each other prevents kVp from dropping to
0.13%- 14% ripple.

3-phase 12-pulse:
12 rectifiers
96.5-100% of x-rays produced are at peak kV. 3.5% ripple. 41% higher energy x-rays. More
consistent x-ray photon production, and more efficient than single phase and 3 phase 6-pulse.
Also, uses 3 waveforms pulsed slightly out of step with each other. Only 3.5% ripple.

High frequency:
Most efficient type. Less than 1% ripple, nearly constant voltage potential. Reliable consistency
in producing adequately energized x-rays. Shorter exposure time. Longer tube life due to small
ripple size. Change voltage from 60 Hz to 6,000 Hz. These generators are not only smaller in
size but more cost efficient as well.

Eleven

The current then flows through the filament circuit.

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Twelve

Next the current goes to the step-down transformer.

-The step-down transformer is in the filament circuit and decreases the incoming voltage
from the primary coil to the secondary coil.
-It also converts current to Amperage(A) to Milliamperage (mA.)

Thirteen

The current then travels to the negative side of cathode(negative) to anode(positive.)

-Also, referred to as the x-ray tube.
-Anode is the area that the electrons strike.

Fourteen

Inside the x-ray tube there are two filament wires and a focusing cup
-The filament wire consists of a small (less heat) and large (more heat) wire. The small
wire is used for detail and the large for large body parts.
-The focusing cup is made of Tungsten because it can withstand high temperatures (3410
degrees.)

Fifteen

Then Thermionic emission takes place.

-Thermionic emission is when the filament heats enough to cause outer-shall electrons to
boil off and exit the filament.
-Know about the space charge effect that prevents the electrons to boil off (having to low
of kVp and high mAs can cause a space charge.

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Sixteen

After the electrons boil off they arrive at the anode

-The electrons that arrive at the anode are call incident electrons.

Seventeen
-This is also where the three target interactions take place
-Coherent

Is the interaction that occurs between very-low-energy photons and matter. (Dan L. Hobbs,
2007)
-Compton scatter
occurs when an incident x-ray photon interacts with a loosely bound outer-shell electron,
removes the electron from its shell, and then proceeds in a different direction as a scattered
photon. (Dan L. Hobbs, 2007)
-Photoelectric Absorption
Photoelectric absorption is the results when an x-ray photon interacts with an inner-shell
electron. (Dan L. Hobbs, 2007)

Eighteen

The incident electrons hit the target and transfer kinetic energy to the target material.
-Produces 99% heat and 1% x-ray.

Nineteen

The 1 % x-rays then travels through the glass window of the tube, through the collimator
hitting the patient.

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References
Carlton, R. R., & Adler, A. M. (2013). Principles of radiographic imaging: An art and a science.
Clifton

Park, NY: Delmar/Cengage Learning.

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