Mk 1 EB Comparator
Sensitometer Designed & Manufactured by
Photronics Pty. Ltd
A simple system that may be
intergrated into a Radiation Safety Plan, to monitor and confirm the
quality of your X-ray film processing system.
Minimise
unnecessary x-ray exposure to patients
In an ideal System,
repeated x-ray exposure of patients due to equipment failure should
never occur.
The MK 1 EB Comparator
offers a fast, reliable, low-cost and highly functional method of
confirming correct operation of an x-ray film processor, before a
patient is irradiated with x-rays and it is found that the processed
films are not of diagnostic quality because of processing deficiencies.
The most frequent incidence of equipment failure is in
the period from switch off, to when the equipment has attained normal
operating temperature after switch on. It is therefore necessary to
have a method of assuring that a film processing system is functioning
correctly before risking damage to a patient's films.
Using the MK1 EB
Comparator, a processed test film produced at the
beginning of each working day, will provide confidence in the correct
operation of the x-ray film processing system. Similarly the Comparator
may be used at any time to expose a test film which, when processed and
compared to the reference film, will indicate if substandard images are
the result of a defective film processing system.
Exiting methods of tesing are limited by cost or by
the infrequency of use and /or the limited information they provide to
the user:
* Imported Sensitometers are too expensive to be
purchased by each small or regional x-ray facility.
* Exposure tests using the patient ID printer are
crude and lack dynamic range.
* Use of Pre-exposed test film is high cost and
requires special handling.
How it
Works
The MK
1 EB Comparator is used to expose a 21-step greyscale
(step-wedge) on the edge of a previously unexposed, unprocessed film.
The film is then processed in the processor being monitored.
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21-step Grey-scale (step-wedge)
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Using a light box, the resultant
step-wedge on the processed film, is aligned with the corresponding
step-wedge of a dedicated reference film.
A fast, visual comparison of the
equivalent fields of the two step-wedge images will provide the user
with information relative to the similarity of the speed, contrast and
base-fog characterisitics of the two films.
Providing the test film's
characterisitics are visually within the predetermined limits of
variance, it may be assumed that the processing parameters of the x-ray
film processor, are within tolerance ie: the developer bath
temperature, chemical activity (over/under concentration,
contamination, oxidation) and dwell time (transport speed) are within
tolerance.
A comprehensve operations
manual, supplied with the MK 1 EB
Comparator, describes the process steps required to
manufacture a reference film that specifically corresponds to the
processor being monitored.
The operations manual further
describes how to interpret the information obtained as the result of
the visual comparison of a test film with the reference film.
A Table of Diagnostics
Interpretation in the operations manual, offers a path to determine the
reason for observed 'out of tolerance' processing results.
The MK
1 EB Comparator is:
FAST:
Results at the speed of processing and viewing one film.
FUNCTIONAL:
One test film can be used to test multiple processing parameters.
RELIABLE:
The unit integrates a micro controller, is self testing and
incorporates solid state illumination.
LOW
COST: Low comparable purchase cost. Low time and labour
cost involved in maintaining film processor quality assurance.
Single Purchase : $850
Purchase qty 1 – 4 : $850 ea
Purchase qty 5 + : $765 ea
Prices:
Ex Tax $AUD
Freight and Shipping Insurance not
included
