MUHIMBILI UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH AND

ALLIED SCIENCE

RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGING
MR. Burhani A. Abdul

Written by: SYLVESTER EDMUND SAFIEL

Reg no. 2020 - 02 – 14860

DDR-1: REGULAR

Qn. Write an essay including drawings on the dark room

  Definition
 functions
 Characteristics of darkroom
 Caring of the darkroom

Darkroom, is a room with no light or with a safe light for developing light sensitive
photographic materials. The darkroom was firstly used in 1841. In radiography the darkroom is
a place where the necessary handling and processing of a film can be carried out safely and
efficientry without hazard of producing film fog by accidental exposure to light or X-rays. The
darkroom can also be termed as the Processing Room. It must exclude all outside light but
artificial light (safe light) may be used depending on the sensitivity of the film either
monochromatic, orthocromatic, or panchromatic film.

Recently the darkroom is used in few areas where conventional radiography is used.
Computed radiography does not involve the use of darkroom due to presence of computed
system where film are processed by a modern machine. The dark room should be well
ventilated with 1215 air changes per hour in line with film processor manufacturers’ health and
safety recommendations.

The dark room requires various materials for proper functioning this include the
following contents. Loading bench, film bin, film I.D. printer, safelights, pass box, light-
tight room, ample ventilation, warning lights out of the room, lockable door, wall
shielding, walls painted with light colors black color is prohibited.
 Functions of the darkroom

The following are the basic functions of the darkroom

i. The dark room is used for storage of the unexposed films. Because films are light / x-
rays sensitive, they require a safe place where light or x-rays are completely
unavailable. Also film storage considers the following conditions, it require
low/minimum temperature, humidity about 40%-60% and shelf life which will allow
easy handling. Dark room storage help to avoid film fog. Storing unexposed x-ray
film it should be stored in cool dry place protected from radiation in upright position.
Loaded x-ray cassettes should be stored in an upright position in cool dry place within
the dark room.
-Processed radiographs should have the corners cut off and be placed in a properly
labeled envelope. The envelope should be stored in an upright position in a storage
bin. A numbering system should be used so that radiographs can be easily found.
ii. The dark room is used for film processing. Exposed film (after exposure to light
photons or X-rays) with latent image is processed in the dark room for formation of
visible image. The silver halide crystals from the emulsion layer are changed into
black metallic silver which can’t be affected by light photons or x-rays hence latent
image being visible (Manifest image).improper or careless processing can cause poor
diagnostic quality. The processing room should be darkened except for the safe light.
Great care must be taken in removing the x-ray film from the cassette to prevent
damage of the intensifying screens. The workers fingers should not touch the screens
of the cassette. Rubbing the film across the end of the cassette must be avoided to
avoided black pressure scratches on the developed radiograph.
>There are two types of film processing AUTOMATIC PROCESSING which
involve unloading the film and inserting it to the processor this uses (day light
processer and automatic processor) and MANUAL PROCESSING which involve
unloading the film, loading the film onto a hanger, film development, film fixing, film
washing, and film drying this include (hand film processor and manual feed
processor).
During film processing, film passes through the following four steps
Developing, Fixing, Washing and Drying.
FILM PROCRSSING, this is the first processing step where Hydroquinone
and Phenidone/metal developers are used to increase sensitivity, make adequate
contrast, and its fast acting. Preservative are developers which reduce oxidation of
developing agents example of preservatives is Potassium sulphite. Hardeners are
developers used to control gelatin swelling to minimize risk of physical damage
example of hardeners is Glutaraldehyde. Sequestering Agent this are developers
which prevents the precipitation of insoluble mineral salts which occur in hard water
areas. Solvent are materials which carry medium for dissolving the developer
constituents, they soften the film emulsion gelatin. The most used solvent is Tap
water. Factors affecting film development are High temperature of the developing
solution and Total time of the development.
FIXING, during development not all the silver halides are reduced. Only
40% get reduced. The remaining silver halide greatly impairs the usefulness and
permanence of the developed radiograph and hence have to be removed.
WASHING, purpose of washing is to remove fixing solution from the
surface of the film. If the film is not properly washed it will show a brown staining
caused by thiosulfate (fixing agent that remain in the emulsion layer).
Washing is done through diffusion process where tap water is mainly used.
DRYING, the drying process uses dry air of low humidity which accelerates
the evaporation process hence reducing drying time. Film drying box is a heating
element with circulating fan it dry in 15 minutes. Film will dry properly if hung in air
for a longer period of about an hour.

There are three methods of processing film in the darkroom

  Manual Feed Processor, is the processing method by hand through
timed steps of developing, rinsing, fixing and washing through
manually controlled machine.
 Hand processing, this was the first method used in early years, 1956
the first roller transport 6 minutes of processing time. In this method
a technician encounter many chemicals with strong chemicals like
hydroquinone, phenidone and [Link] this method proper
ventilation is the priority. this method is messy and time consuming
compared to other method, in recent time it’s more used in interior
areas with low technology development.
 Daylight Processor, this is a more modern method compared to the
other methods. In this method the film is not manually unloaded to be
kept in the processing machine but the cassette is kept in the machine
and the film is unloaded automatically. It’s not time consuming and
does not expose the technician to chemicals with strong smell.
Reliable short time automatic processors are available. It should be
90-seconds processor because the reliability and reproducibility is as
good as these for the slower processors.
iii. The dark room is used for handling of film. Handling of the film include unloading of
the exposed film from the cassette and also handling the processed film to dry before
used for identification of the patients problems. Also in handling it may involve the
unexposed film when are prepared for use.
iv. The dark room is used for Film identification. One component of the dark room is the
FILM ID PRINTER which is used to print patients’ information on the short lead
blocker of the film which is found at the top left corner of the cassette. This can be
done either before or after image is taken. Patient information included in the film are
Patients name, exam date and time, Patients x-ray number, pt birthday, Rt or Lt
marker also optional info including [Link] and exam type.
 Characteristics of the darkroom

i. The darkroom should have proper ventilation and heating. This can be ensured through
maintaining, humidity of about 40 – 60%
Room temperature 18 – 20 c
Min of 10 air exchange per hour
The room should be satisfactory working condition for staffs, good film handling and
storage condition.
ii. The darkroom should be locate in close proximity to the place where the work of
radiographer is carried out. It should save as many imaging rooms as possible. Dark room
should be near the x-ray examination area.
iii. The darkroom should be centrally sited and served by hatches from the adjacent imaging
rooms. Away from damp areas and hot areas/conditions.
 iv. The darkroom has adjoining viewing area where processed films can be checked or
sorted out.
v. The darkroom size should be of minimal floor area of 10m2 with the minimal height of

about 2.5 – 3m. The floor should be durable and easy to maintain eg. Use of plastic tiles,

non-porous and non slipy flooring materials.

vi. The room is characterized with the radiation protection materials such as coating the

walls with barium plaster or increase the thickness, lining the doors with lead and

shielding of all gaps around the doors. The walls should be painted with light color, easy

to wipe and keep clean. The room must be capable of being made completely light proof

to avoid film fog and should be well ventilated. The walls and roof should be painted by

white or cream enamel as such a paint acts as a good reflecting surface fore safe light.

vii. The darkroom should have X-ray rotating warning light in hallway switched "on"

signaling that x-ray film processing is operating.

viii. The darkroom should have good/proper entrance with will not expose the room to light.

The entrance which can be used are single door which require much concentration or

care, The double door , The maze and the revolving door
ix. The darkroom illumination. The dark room should have two modes of lighting. The
ordinary white lighting and safe light. Safe light used depends on the sensitivity of the
film found in the room. In monochromatic films and orthochromatic films, Red light may
be used as the safe light during film processing and storage to avoid film fog.
-White light is necessary for inspection, maintenances of cassette and screens, cleaning
of work surface and floor and also servicing the equipment.
-White light should be close to the ceiling to avoid shadows, it should be of moderate
intensity (60w tungsten / 30w fluorescent) and it should be centrally placed.
-However SAFE LIGHT is not 100% safe no filter completely absorbs the undesirable
wave length, this can be prevented by reducing time and intensity of illumination and use
the recommended standard 25w lamp sited at minimum 1.2 m away from the film.
-THE SAFE LIGHT should be constructed with colored gelatin filter is sandwiched b/w
plane glass and fitted in a metal lantern box.
-Two forms of safe-light can be used in the radiographic dark room.

Direct: a diffused light shines directly over the work point, such as the dry and wet bench.
 Indirect: the filtered light is directed up to the ceiling where it is reflected over the room.

-SAFE LIGHT is required

During film loading
Processor film feed-in points
Path b/w above two
At developer tank.
x. The dark room should have the following equipment
 Automatic processor.

 Cassette
-cassettes are always of different size depending on size of film used and diagnosis
area. Example film used for femur diagnosis is larger than film used for shoulder
joint or radius and ulna diagnosis. A cassette is a light-tight metal container which

-Is designed to hold the x-ray film and intensifying screens in close contact. The
front face which is of aluminum or plastic, faces the tube while the other side have
a sheet of lead to absorbed back-scatter screens and cassettes are of course made in
various sizes to correspond with standard film sizes
 Hatches

 Dry bench
-The dry bench is where the cassette are unloaded and recharged with fresh
film. It must be impossible for splashes of developer to reach the dry bench
surface. The top of the dry bench must be large enough to accommodate the
largest cassette in use when opened out. The top surface should be either of
wood or linoleum. Plastic laminates are not recommended because they hold
static charges of electricity which can cause marks on films.

Caring of the darkroom