The factors that affect the density of the image are discussed in Chapter 10, “Radiographic Exposure Technique.”ĭensity on the printed radiographic image can be quantified and is therefore an objective measure that can be used for comparison. Knowledge about the factors that affect the density on a radiographic image is critical to developing effective problem-solving skills. If a radiograph is deemed unacceptable, the radiographer must determine what factors contributed to the density error. He or she then decides whether the radiograph is diagnostic or unacceptable. The image to determine whether it is sufficient to visualize the anatomic area of interest. It is also desirable to have some absorption otherwise, the image would be uniformly dark. This lack of exposure to the image receptor results in the lighter shades of the image. Recall that these photons are absorbed photoelectrically and do not reach the image receptor. Absorption has the opposite effect on the image as transmission. Absorption refers to those photons that are attenuated by the body and do not reach the image receptor. X-ray photons reaching the image receptor create the dark shades of the image. It is desirable for some of the x-ray photons to pass through the anatomic area of interest or no image would result. Transmission refers to those x-ray photons that pass through the body and reach the image receptor.