An Evaluation of the Applicability of A.N.S.I. Standard PH-2.9 to Contemporary Medical X-Ray Films Designated for Automated Processing

Three medium speed screen-type medical x-ray films were exposed and manually processed in accordance with the procedures outlined in A.N.S.I. Standard PH-2.9, Sensitometry of Medical X-Ray Films . Subsequent to processing, all samples were evaluated upon the response variables of base plus fog density, maximum density, A.N.S.I. speed, and A.N.S.I. contrast. A second set of film samples, exposed identically to the manually processed samples, were processed in a ninety-second cycle automated system. After sensitometric evaluation of the automated samples, a statistical comparison of the results obtained by both processing procedures was executed. In the second phase of the investigation, a factorial experiment was executed in an attempt to generate a mathematical model for the sensitometric responses of the films under test to manual processing with metol - hydroquinone developer formulations. Based upon the data yielded from the factorial experiment, several optimized developer formulas and manual processing procedures were devised in an attempt to more closely approximate the results achieved with automated processing of the films utilized in the experiment