The energy which must be absorbed in a CaWO4 x-ray intensifying screen to produce unit net opetical density on a film has been evaluated by measurement and calculation for a screen-film system over a range of beam qualities (1.4--7.4 mm A1 HVL) spanning the diagnostic x-ray region. It was found to be constant within experimental error. The absorbed-energy constant for three additional CaWO4 screens is presented for a single beam quality. To correct the estimation of absorbed energy, the fractional escape of tungsten K x rays has been evaluated and the results are presented as a function of phosphor loading. The absorbed-energy constant is useful for predicting optical density for variable beam conditions; a family of characteristic curves based on exposure is reduced to one curve for a particular film-screen system, expressed as optical density as a function of absorbed energy.