Notebook 2

Grids
Grids- a device used to improve the contrast of the radiographic image. This is accomplished
by absorbing scatter radiation before it reaches the image receptor.
Grids are necessary for thicker, larger body parts and when the kVp is above 60.
They are thin and flat and made of radiopaque lead strips and radiolucent interspace
material which is usually aluminum or plastic fiber.
The lead strips are what clean up the image by absorbing the scatter radiation.
The aluminum will absorb a small amount because of its high atomic number but not as
much as the lead.
When using grids higher techniques will be needed because the grid will absorb some of
the scatter radiation and less of the photons will reach the IR.
This is usually accomplished by increasing the mAs. When using a grid the amount of
mAs needed can be calculated with the Grid Conversion Factor (GCF). GCF= mAs with
the grid/mA. GCFs increase with higher grid ratios and increasing kVp.
Grid Ratio- the height of the lead strips divided by the width of the interspace.
This has a major influence on the ability of the grid to improve contrast.
Higher grid ratios allow less scatter radiation to pass through their interspace material and
reach the image receptor.
They also require greater accuracy in positioning and are more prone to grid errors.
Grid Frequency- the number of grid lines perch or centimeter.
Generally grids with high frequency have thinner strips.
Digital image receptors utilize high frequency grids because it lowers the possibility of
seeing the grid lines on they image.
There are different types of grids: parallel, focused, and crosshatch.
Parallel grids- made with the lead and interspace strips running parallel to one another.
The best uses for these grids are at long SIDs because the beam will be a straighter,
more perpendicular one.
They are less commonly used because the strips do not try to coincide with the
divergence of the x-ray beam, and some grid cutoff will occur along the lateral edges,
especially when used at short SIDs.
Focused grids- are designed so that the central grid strips are parallel and as the strips
move away from the central axis they become more and more inclined.
 These are designed that way to match the divergence of the x-ray beam.
For the grid to be properly focused, the tube must be located along the convergence
line.
Crosshatch grid- when two linear grids are placed on top of each other so that the grid lines
are running at right angles.
Tube tilt is not permitted with these grids because there will be cutoff. Due to this, they
have limited use in radiography.
Grid Errors- occur from improper use of the grid, most of the errors occur in focused grids.
Focused grids are made to work with the divergence of the x-ray beam and they must be
centered to the focused grid and aligned at the correct distance.
Off-Level- occurs when the tube is angled across the long axis of the grid strips.
When this happens there is an undesirable absorption of primary radiation, which results
in a radiograph with a decrease in exposure across the entire image.
Off-Center- the x-ray tube must be centered along the central axis of a focused grid to
prevent an off-center grid error.
This will result in a decrease in exposure across the entire image.
Off-Focus- occurs when a focused grid is used at a distance other than that specified as
the focal range.
This results in grid cutoff along the peripheral edges of the image.
Upside-Down- focused grids have an identified tube side based on the way the grid strips
are angled and must face the correct way.
This will result in severe peripheral grid cutoff.
The Moire Effect- grid error that occurs with digital image receptor systems with the grid
lines are captured and scanned parallel to the scan lines in the imaging plate readers.
The grid lines will be demonstrated on the image.
The air gap technique is an alternative to using a grid. A 10 inch air-gap has the same degree
of clean-up of scatter on an image as a 15:1 grid.