![]() ![]() In real x-ray systems it is slightly more complex as there are many energies in an x-ray spectrum, but this exercise will help provide us with the basic intuition on x-ray attenuation. ![]() These x-rays have an intensity which is the number of x-rays incident on the material (over a given area and a given time). One important parameter in this model is how thick is the material. monoenergetic) passing through one single material and the x-rays are parallel as they go through the material. Let’s imagine a simple model: x-rays of a single energy (i.e. (Transmission=1-Attenuation, or if percentage values are being used ). Transmission and Attenuation can be expressed as a number from 0 to 1. While X-Ray Transmission quantifies the x-rays that pass through the body, X-Ray Attenuation describes x-rays stopped in the body. Two terms “X-Ray Transmission” and “X-Ray Attenuation” are different ways to describe the same thing – how x-rays pass through the body of patient. After going through this material and using this rad calc yourself you should be able to confidently answer these types of questions. The idea is that as an x-ray technologist or radiographer than you can be familiar with relative x-ray transmission.įor instance, if you have 10 cm of water and an x-ray beam of 50 keV, would 50% of the photons make it through or 10% or somewhere in between. In this calculator we want to give you a feel for how much of a given x-ray beam will be transmitted through objects of different materials. If you haven’t already checked it out please see our post on x-ray and CT contrast generation. These generally produce fairly technical information, which may require interpretation by a manufacturer or by a hospitals' PACS administrator.Īs a last resort, unofficial support is available via the DICOM newsgroup (forum), accessible here.In x-ray imaging the contrast comes from the difference between the x-ray transmission through different types of materials. One way to test the contents of a PDI or DICOM CD is to use compliance verification test tools. In such cases, the originating hospital will be able to create a replacement CD that is in the DICOM standard format on request and without furtherĬharge. ![]() Some manufacturers create CDs in a proprietary format unreadable by other manufacturers or viewers.In a medical image archive, and diagnostic quality, may have been lost. Such images can be viewed with a picture viewer, but the information necessary to properly import and manage the images It is possible that the radiology department populated the CD with images that have been converted to consumer format such as JPEG.Contact the hospital or imaging center that prepared the CD speak with the imaging department and ask them to describe the format of the CD and ask them for instruction on how to view it, what viewer to use and where such viewer can be found.Look for a file named DICOMDIR on the CD absence indicates a non-DICOM CD.IHE PDI CDs are DICOM CDs that follow additional compatibility guidelines. “PDI” on the CD label or in a README file on the CD. Look for an indication that the CD conforms to the IHE PDI (Portable Data for Imaging) Profile, e.g.Examine the CD or DVD for physical damage, or the absence of darkened areas on the non-label side - occasionally CDs are damaged or blank if a DVD, make sure you put it into a DVD drive.You can also list the individual files on a DICOM CD using a regular file browser such as the one that starts up in Windows when you go to My Computer, but in general you will want to use a viewer that loads the entire study, rather than examine one imageįile at a time. When DICOM CDs are created, as a convenience they often include DICOM viewers on the CD, or a direct link to a viewer that may be run from the Internet, although you do not have to use the supplied viewer if you already have one installed on your computer. for "DICOM viewer Windows" or "DICOM viewer Mac") will locate a variety of DICOM viewers, both free and for sale. DICOM files contain the images along with detailsĪbout the patient, the scan that generated the image and the characteristics of the image itself.ĭICOM images can be displayed using a program called a ‘DICOM viewer’. Medical imaging equipment manufacturers use the DICOM format to distribute images (just as digital camera manufacturers distribute images in JPEG format). If you have a CD (or DVD) with medical images on it, it is most likely a DICOM CD as the vast majority of such disks are formatted in accordance with the DICOM Standard.ĭICOM is the standard format for medical images. The DICOM Standard does not have access to such images. Note: If you are a patient with questions about your personal medical records or images, please contact your physician, hospital, or health facility where the images were taken. ![]()
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