Intraoral Processing Guidelines

Correct processing procedures contribute to the quality of a radiograph and cannot be overemphasized. A perfectly exposed x-ray film will not result in a good quality radiograph if poor processing procedures are used.

Also, a properly processed radiograph requires minimum exposure, thus minimizing patient exposure to radiation. For best results, follow the procedures suggested below.

Manual Processing Guidelines for Intraoral Radiographs

Manual Processing Procedure

1. Prepare developer and fixer solutions according to directions on the containers.

2. Use an accurate thermometer to determine the temperature of the developer solution for the selected film.

3. Carefully attach film to the film hangers.

4. Set the timer according to the chart for the developer temperature.

5. Immerse the film (attached to film hanger) quickly into the developer solution, dislodging air bubbles by vigorously moving the film hanger in the solution for 5 seconds.

6. Do not agitate film during development.

7. Remove the hanger from the developer when the timer sounds. Drain the excess developer into the water bath; do not drain back into the developer tank.

8. Immerse the hanger rapidly into the water rinse tank. Agitate continuously during the water rinse procedure.

9. Place the hanger in the fixer solution. Intermittent agitation (5 seconds every 30 seconds) should be used throughout the fixing procedure. Excess fixer should be drained into the water bath rather than back into the fixer tank.

10. Place the hanger in the wash tank; wash in clean running water.

11. Dry at room temperature in a dust-free area or suitable drying cabinet, temperature should not exceed 120º F (49º C).

12. Replenishment: add 8 ounces of the appropriate replenisher (236 mL) per one gallon (3.8 L) of developer and fixer working solutions each day even if no film is processed in the chemicals.

The concentration and purity of the chemical solutions in your manual processing tanks are important to the image quality of the resulting radiograph. Always keep separate, labeled, capped bottles of developer replenisher and fixer replenisher readily available.

For optimal image quality, we suggest that you add 8 ounces of the appropriate replenisher (236 mL) per one gallon (3.8 L) of developer and fixer working solutions every morning, regardless of the solution levels visible in the tanks. This will help ensure that the correct processing solution strength is present for the radiographs to be processed that day. It may be necessary to remove some of the existing solution before adding the replenisher, so that the processing tanks do not overflow. To guard against possible cross-contamination, always use separate paddles to mix each type of processing solution (i.e., one paddle for developer and another for fixer). Label the paddles to indicate the solution they are to be used for. Always wash and dry the paddles after each use.

Technical Tips

While some automatic processors will provide replenishment automatically, other equipment requires operator intervention to maintain the correct chemistry levels and strengths.

For those intraoral film processors without automatic replenishment, it is recommended that 8 ounces (236 mL) of replenisher be added to each working solution daily, based on an average daily run of 20 to 30 intraoral films. Even if no films are processed for a period of time, replenishment is necessary. If you process more than 30 intraoral films per day, you should increase the amount of daily replenisher solution at the rate of 0.25 fluid ounce (7 mL) per additional film processed. For example, 50 intraoral films per day would require that 5 additional ounces (148 mL) be added to the daily 8 ounces, for a total of 13 ounces (384 mL).

All replenished solutions should be changed every 3 to 4 weeks under normal conditions. (Normal use is defined as 30 intraoral films per day.) Manufacturers of automatic non-roller type processors recommend that all non-replenished solutions be changed every two weeks.

For those processors incorporating daylight film-loading features, it is important that the processing unit be placed in subdued lighting (no direct, bright lighting). This will help to prevent film fogging through the filter of the loading units.

Automatic Processing Guidelines for Intraoral Radiographs

*If you cannot identify your processor's cycle time, refer to the equipment manufacturer for more information. Processing times and temperature will vary based on processor. These values are only guidelines.