Effects of chemical developer depletion on insight and ektaspeed plus films: a sensitometric comparison

Objectives: To compare the sensitometric properties of Insight (F-SPEED) and Ektaspeed Plus radiographic (E-speed) film which was manually and automatically processed using fresh and depleted chemical solutions. Methods: 8 sets of each type of film were obtained (1set=5films), 4sets being manually processed and 4sets being automatically processed. A total of 80films (40 Ektaspeed Plus and 40 Insight film) were exposed and developed. The first two sets of each film type were developed in fresh chemicals on the first day and the other sets were processed in the same progressively depleted solutions, once a week until the end of experiment within 3weeks. Characteristic curves were constructed to compare the sensitometric properties of the films: contrast, latitude and speed Results: Results showed that insight film is faster than Ektaspeed plus film under both processing conditions, both in fresh and old chemicals. Depletion occurred faster in automatic processing. Radiographic contrast is higher for both the films, when processed automatically in fresh solution. Contrast of manually processed films showed higher contrast in old chemicals. Insight films are more stable interms of latitude. Conclusion: Newer insight film can be preferred as it requires only lesser exposure thereby reducing patient radiation exposure to 20%. Chemical depletion in automatic processing was faster than manual condition.