Some Possible Diagnostic Applications in Cine-radiography

Abstract

The development of the “small size” Image Intensifier, with a screen approximately 13·5 cm or 5·5 in. in diameter, has now grown beyond its experimental stage and consequently the medical investigator has been given access to a considerable wider field of possibilities for the examination of images primarily generated by X rays. Table I shows this in outline. Normal screening with the Image Intensifier has two considerable advantages over the usual normal screening: (1) Although the contrast itself is not increased, the brightness of the image enables the observer to use cone vision with the central part of his retina, which is certainly superior to rod vision with respect to the observation of small details. At the same time this implies that dark-adaptation can be omitted. (2) The quantity of X rays, on the other hand, can be greatly reduced by using the Image Intensifier for screening, and consequently the dose to the patient is much less than in normal screening. In our opinion this is a very important factor. X rays in a diagnostic department may be harmful to the patient, a fact that is sometimes overlooked. In screening the chest this reduction in X-ray dose is certainly ten times (instead of 4 mA, 0·4 mA can be applied). Objects with a higher density (for instance the abdominal parts of the body) will show this dose reduction to a smaller degree, but it is still substantial.