X-RAY CIRCUITY

RT 244 – 2012
Circuitry & Function
Let’s go back to the starting point

Contributions by Mosby, Thompson Publisher, Carlton, Bushberg, and the WWW.

1
 The Control Console
• The control console is
device that allows the
technologist to set
technical factors (mAs
& kVp) and to make
an exposure.
• Only a legally
licensed individual is
authorized to
energize the console.
2
 Operating Console has meters
to measure
• kVp, mA, & exposure time

• Modern units only display mAs

• Units with ACE’s will have a separate

meter for mAs

3
 Control Panel
• All the electric circuits connecting the meters
and controls are at low voltage to minimize the
possibility of shock.

4
Technique
selection

• The process begins at the control panel such as the one

shown.
• The technologist selects a technique which will specify the
kVp, mA, exposure time, and focal spot .
• When the exposure switch is depressed, manipulation of
electricity to produce x-rays begins.
• It is necessary to follow the sequence of events in two parts.
• the voltage through to the x-ray tube,
• then go back and follow the voltage and current through to
the filament.
Control Panel Circuit Elements
POWER SUPPLY
– 60 Hz AC 120 to 480 V 2a.
– Panel Power On/Off
AUTOTRANSFORMER
1. line compensation 1a. 2a.
a. line meter
b. primary side adjustments
2. kVp selection
a. secondary side
adjustments 3.
1b.
variable turns ratio
3. filament circuit power
6
 Operating Console Controls:
• Line Compensation

• Quantity = # of x-rays
– Milliroentges (mR) or (mR/mAs)

• Quality = the pentrability

– Kilovolts peak (kVp) or HVL

7
 Electric Circuits
• Modifying electric flow and controlling
electricity results in an electric circuit.

8
How the current
gets to the TUBE

9
 Generator+ Tranformers
(where the power comes from)

10
 Circuitry:
Source: Carlton & Adler (1996). Principles of radiographic imaging: An art and a science. (96-99).

• MAIN CIRCUIT FILAMENT CIRCUIT

 Modifies incoming current • Filament circuit adjusts to
to produce x-rays mA ratings (50, 100, 200,
 Boosts voltage to range etc.).
necessary produce
x-rays. • After mA selection,
 Modifies incoming line current sent to step down
power to produce transformer to modify
thermionic emission from amps that reach filament
the filament wire. on x-ray tube

11
 3 Divisions of Circuit Board
• PRIMARY
(CONTROL PANEL)
yellow
• SECONDARY
(HIGH VOLTAGE)
blue
• FILAMENT
(LOW CURRENT)
purple

12
13
X-Ray Machine Circuit

14
Functional Position
Control Console Transformers Tube

16
17
 Complete Single-Phase Rectifier Circuit

high voltage,
low current

Bushberg, et al., The Essential Physics

of Medical Imaging, 2nd ed., p. 126.
© UW and Brent K. Stewart PhD, DABMP
18 18
1. MAINBREAKER
2. AUTOTRANSFORMER – KVP - Meter
3. EXPOSURE SWITCH
4. TIMER CIRCUIT
5. HIGH VOLTAGE STEP UP TRANSFORMER
6. RECTIFIER - Ma Meter
7. FILAMENT CIRCUIT VARIABLE SELECTPR
8. FILAMENT STEP DOWN TRANSFORMER
9. X-RAY TUBE
10. ROTOR / STATOR

19
20
21
 high voltage,
low current

Bushberg, et al., The Essential Physics

of Medical Imaging, 2nd ed., p. 126.
© UW and Brent K. Stewart PhD, DABMP
22 22
23
 Name the parts
of the Circuit board # A
1. TIMER 9.AUTOTRANSFORMER
2. KVP METER 10. STEP DOWN TRANS
3. MA OR AMMETER 11. FOCAL SPOT
4. RECTIFIER SELECTOR
5. MA SELECTOR 12. STEP UP
TRANSFORMER
6. LINE COMPENSATOR
13. MINOR KVP SELECTOR
7. INCOMING POWER
14. MAJOR KVP
8. MAIN BREAKER –
SELECTOR
2 - 110 VOLTS LINES
15. X-RAY TUBE

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 Important Parts
Of The Circuit Board TO ID
• 1 Incoming Line Voltage
• 2 Autotransformer
• 3 KVP Selector
• 4 Timer
• No # Ma Selector
• 5 Primary Side (Low Voltage)
• 6 Secondary Side (High Voltage)
• 7 X-ray Tube
• 8 Rectifier
• 9 STEP – Up Transformer
• 10 STEP – Down Transformer
25
 5
6

8 7
#1

mA
10
selector

26
See Circuitry Review handout and chart for numbers
• Wavelength is the
distance from the peak of
one wave to the peak of
the next wave.
• Frequency refers to the
number of waves that go
by a specific point in one
second. Remember that
electromagnetic energy
waves all travel at the
same speed—the speed
of light

• Measured in
• Hertz or angstrom
27
Current from the outlet

28
 Line Compensation
• Most imaging systems are designed to operate
on 220 V. (some 110 V or 440 V)
• However power from the wall is not always
accurate continuously

29
 Line Compensation
• Wired to the autotransformer is the line
compensator
• Designed to maintain the accurate voltage
required for consistent production of high-
quality images
• Today’s line compensators are automatic and
are not displayed on the control panel

30
Line Compensator

31
 TRANSFORMERS
(Step Up or Step Down)

• Increases the VOLTAGE going to

the ANODE side of the tube OR
• 110 volts to 110,000 volts
• Decreases the CURRENT going to
the CATHODE side of the tube
• 5 Amps to 50 milliamps

32
Transformers

• Autotransformer
• Step Up
• Step Down
AUTOTRANSFORMER

34
 AUTOTRANSFORMER
• RAISES OR LOWERS THE
VOLTAGE
• KVP TAPS LOCATED
• 220 VOLTS INCOMING
CONVERTED FROM
100 T0 300 VOLTS
• VOLTMETER LOCATED -
OFF OF
AUTOTRANSFORMER
35
Autotransformer – Self Induction
• There is only one wire – but
works like when there are 2
wires =
• The windings are used as
the primary and secondary
coils
• The induced voltage varies
on where the outside wires
are connected (KVP Taps)

36
 Autotransformer
• The power for the x-ray imaging system is
delivered first to the autotransformer
• The autotransformer works on the
principle of electromagnetic induction
• It has one winding and one core
• There are a number of connections along
its length

37
Autotransformer
• A’s = primary
connections &
power into the
transformer

• Other connections
allow for variations
of voltages

38
 Autotransformer
• Is designed to step up voltage to about
twice the input voltage value

• The increase in voltage is directly related

to the number of turns

• Operates on SELF INDUCTION

39
kVp selection

40
 Filaments
Operate at currents of 3 to 6 amperes (A)
• Current comes from
Autotransformer
• Controls the Ma
selection
• Focal Spot Selector
Switch located here

41
• Nearly all x-ray equipment operates from
an incoming line of ____?
• The filament circuit in an x-ray tube
operates at about what 10 volts of current

42
 X-ray tube current
or Filament circuit
• A separate circuit crossing from cathode to
anode
• Measured in milliampers (mA)
• What determines how many x-rays are
created?

43
 X-ray tube current or Filament
circuit
• # of e- is determined by the temperature of
the filament. The hotter the filament the
more e-

• Are their any limiting factors to thermionic

emission?

44
mA selection

45
 FILAMENT CURRENT
• MA METER vs
• AMMETER ??

• MEASURE THE
MA GOING TO
THE XRAY TUBE

46
 RHEOSTAT
• VARIABLE REISITOR
• regulate the amount of resistance in a
circuit
• • mA control is found between the
• AMMETER

47
 Generator+ Tranformers
(where the power comes from)

48
 TRANSFORMER
• is responsible for supplying a
precise voltage to the x-ray
machine.

49
 TRANSFORMER FORMULAS
(STEP UP OR DOWN)
• V = voltage • Vp = N p
• N = # turns Vs Ns
• p = primary
• s = secondary • Vp = I s
• I = current Vs Ip

• Np = I s
Ns Ip

50
 Transformers
 Autotransformer • HV
 Step-up or step-down – Step-up
 Variable Turns Ratio – Fixed TR > 1 (500 to 1000)
 Controls kV by varying – VS > VP
V sent to HVT –  V to kV

• Filament
– Step-down
– Fixed TR < 1
– IS > IP (VS<VP)
– I in filament to cause e-
emission
51
 Transformer Efficiency
• By design • Ideal – no loss
– Shell – most • Reality best = ~95%
– Closed core induction
– Open core • Loss due to
– Air core – Cu resistance
•  wire diameter
– Eddy currents
• Laminate core
– Hysteresis
•  core mag. perm.

52
 TRANSFORMERS
(Step Up or Step Down)

• Increases the VOLTAGE

going to the ANODE side of
the tube OR
• 110 volts to 110,000 volts
• Decreases the CURRENT
going to the CATHODE side
of the tube
• 5 Amps to 50 milliamps
53
 TRANSFORMERS
• STEP UP OR DOWN
• OPEN CORE, CLOSED
CORE OR SHELL TYPE
• ABOUT 95% EFFICIENT
• AUTOTRASFORMER = _____
induction
• Functions to provide
___________
• Both types require AC for
operation
54
 INDUCTION
• MUTUAL INDUCTION is the?

• SELF INDUCTION is the

• A transformer must have ________to

produce an electric or magnetic current
?

55
 MUTUAL INDUCTION
(STEP UP & DOWN TRANSFORMERS)

56
 AC
• Amplitude and polarity of the current vary
with time
• AC – sinusoidal wave

• AC varies amplitude and periodic reversal

of polarity

57
STEP UP TRANSFORMER

58
 Electricity
• Is more efficiently tansported over long
distances at low currents ahd high voltage
in order to avoid large power losses

59
 Faraday’s law
Regulate the strength of the induced current
• Strength of the Magnet
• Speed of the motion
• Angle of the magnet
• Number of turns on the conduction coil

60
 ELECTROMAGNETIC
INDUCTION
3 WAYS TO CREATE MOTION BETWEEN
LINES OF FORCE AND A CONDUCTOR
• Move the conductor through mag field
• Move magnetic lines of force
• Vary the magnetic flux

61
62
 FUSES
• PREVENT SHOCK FROM A SHORT
CIRCUIT –
• THE HIGHER CURRENT WILL MELT
THE FUSE – STOPPING THE FLOW
OF ELECTRICITY
• CIRCUIT BREAKERS HAVE
REPLACED FUSES - POWER TOO
HIGH IT WILL CUT OFF – not damage
appliance
63
 Question?

What is directly proportional to

the number of x-rays reaching
the IR?

64
How do you convert
msec to sec?
1000ms = 1 sec
100ms = 0.1 sec
10 ms = 0.01 sec

65
 mAs Timers
• Monitors the product of mA and exposure
time
• Terminates the exposure when the desired
mAs value is reached
• Located on the secondary side of the high-
voltage transformer since actual tube
current must be monitored

66
mAs Timers

• Designed to proved the highest mA for the

shortest exposure

• What is the name of this type of imaging

system generator? Hint: most modern and
most common

67
TIMER SWITCH
• Timer switch
ends exposure
• Timer – length of
exposure set at
control panel

68
 Exposure Timers
• The timer circuit is separate from the other
main circuits of the imaging system

• It is a mechanical or electronic device whose

action is to “make” and “break” the high
voltage across the x-ray tube

• This is done on the primary side of the high

voltage transformer.

69
 5 types of timing circuits
• 2 most common:
• Electronic Timer
– Computer controlled
– allow a wide range of time intervals
– are accurate to intervals as small as 1 ms
– can be used for rapid serial exposures

70
 AEC Control
• AEC measure the quantity of radiation
reaching the IR

• Automatically terminates when the IR has

received enough radiation for desired OD

• Two types are common

71
EXPOSURE & TIMER SWITCH
EXPOSURE SWITCH – BEGINS THE EXPOSURE
Timer switch ends exposure
(unless exposure button is let go prior to end of exposure because of
dead man switch)
 Timer circuit controls number of photons produced.

TYPES:
• MECHANICAL – NO LONGER USED
• spring wounded, and not very accurate.
• Synchronous timers: synchronous motor w/60 revolutions/second;
min. exposure time is 1/60 sec, and timer in multipulse
• (i.e., 1/30,1/20).
• AEC - TIMERS: monitors time and mA and terminates exposure
when desired mAs is attained. Designed to provide the highest safe
tube current for the shortest time.

• mA METER OR AMMETER
IS located on secondary side of high voltage section. 72
EXPOSURE
SWITCH

TIMER
73
 Back up time for AEC
• P 116 Bushong (8th ed)
• Back-up time should be set (electronic
timer to 1.5 the expected exposure)
• Usually set automatically
• Exposure timer as short a 1 ms

• *Reg Rev Q: Manual reset timer = 6 sec (?)

74
 APR
• Anatomically Programmed Radiography
(Ch 20)
– Radiologic Technologist selects on the
console a picture of a written description
of the anatomic part to be imaged and
the patient body habitus
– A computer selects the appropriate kVp
and mAs.

75
APR

76
 Generator+ Tranformers
(where the power comes from)

77
 generator

A generator is a device that converts

mechanical energy into electrical energy

78
X-ray Generator
cathode
• Transformers
anode – HV (step-up)
F – Filament (step down)
• Rectification
• Connection to tube

diodes

HV

79
 generators
•An AC generator produces a
current that is expressed
mathematically as a
sinusoidal wave ~

• Function to change mechanical energy in

to electrical energy
• Electrical current flowing through a
conductor in one direction is _______
• A battery is a source of direct current
80
 GENERATOR

• THAT CREATE AN ALTERNATING

CURRENT ARE CALLED:
• AN ALTERNATOR –
• CONVERT MECHANICAL ENERGY INTO
ELECTRICITY

81
• WHAT MEASURES ELECTRIC
POTIENTAL = VOLT

• CURRENT = AMP

• ELECTRIC CIRCUIT IS THE

PATHWAY FOR ELECTRIC CURRENT

82
 High-Voltage Generator
• Responsible for increasing the output
voltage from the autotransformer to the
kVp necessary for x-ray production

• 3 parts: High-voltage transformer, filament

transformer and rectifiers

83
 High voltage transformer
• Or step up transformer

• Connected to the Major and Minor kVp

selector

• Increases the volts from the

autotransformer to kilovolts

84
Step Up Transformer

85
 Voltage Rectification
• Converts AC to DC current
• During the negative cycle current can only
flow from anode to cathode

• E- must travel cathode to anode – DC

current keeps e- traveling in the correct
direction, cathode to anode
• Attracted to the positive anode

86
Voltage Rectification

87
X-Ray Tube Circuit

88
 Rectifier tube failure
2 types
• A diode electron tube
• A vacuum tube

• If one rectifier were malfunctioning the inverted

voltage would not be rectified - therefore the
resulting mAs would be ½ that expected
89
 Filament transformer
• Or step down
transformer

• Reduces the
current to the
filament

90
 High-Voltage Generation –
converts 110 volts
of AC to kilovolts of DC
• The generator is a FIXED component of
the imaging system, not under the control
of the technologist

• Three basic types: single phase, three

phase, and high frequency

• The generator affects the quality and

quantity of photons produced 91
 Single Phase Power
= Pulsating X-ray beam
What are the 2 types?

92
 Half-Wave Rectification – photons
are produced & emitted only during
positive cycle
• 100% voltage ripple - quality is the same
as full-wave rectification but quantity is half

93
 Full-Wave Rectification – same as
half-wave except there is no dead
time
• Half the exposure time is needed for full-
wave than half-wave

94
Three-Phase Power : 6 pulse or 12
pulse
• Results in higher quality and quantity
photons

95
96
High-Frequency: nearly constant
positive voltage
• Less than 1% ripple

• Modern X-ray machines have High-

frequency falling-load generator
– Automatically adjusts to the highest mA at the
shortest exposure time possible

97
High Frequency

98
 Voltage Ripple
• Single-phase power has 100% ripple
– Voltage varies from zero to the maximum
value

• Three-phase power has 14% ripple

– Voltage never falls below 86% of the
maximum

• Three-phase, 12 pulse has 4% ripple

– Voltage never falls below 96% of the 99
 Voltage Ripple
• High-frequency power has 1% ripple
– Voltage to the tube never falls below 99%

• What does this mean for x-ray photon?

100
Voltage generators (power
supply)

101
102
 VOLTAGE RIPPLE

Ripple effect differences

103
? What is missing?

104
• A three-phase generator operates on
three single phase currents, each one
out of phase by _____ degrees

105
 Review Handouts

•Circuit Board
•Symbols
•Function

106
107
108
Questions on imaging systems?

109