TECHNICAL DATA / Non-Destructive Testing 2016-09-29 • TI-2632

Recommended Uses
CARESTREAM INDUSTREX
CARESTREAM INDUSTREX Digital Imaging Plates are
Digital Imaging Plates available in many sizes, and are designed for a wide
variety of NDT applications, including:
CARESTREAM INDUSTREX Flex Digital Imaging Plates
(IPs) are designed for computed radiography in non- o Castings
destructive testing applications. o Erosion and corrosion
o Pipeline inspection
These plates employ storage phosphors, which capture o Welded fabrication
and retain a latent image in direct proportion to an o Ordinance
exposure of ionizing radiation.
This latent image is subsequently read out by scanning Storage and Handling
with a red laser, which stimulates the emission of blue
light, in a phenomenon known as photostimulated The lifetime of the plates is hundreds or thousands of
luminescence. exposure/readout/erase cycles, determined primarily by
the care in handling and environmental conditions.
The imaging plate can be loaded into a flexible or rigid Careless handling and very dirty environments can
cassette and used with metal screens of appropriate shorten the useful lifetime of an imaging plate.
thickness.
These plates offer the flexibility of film without the need
for wet processing, so you can capture and read images Important
quickly and easily, both in the field and in the lab. Inspect phosphor plates every week and replace when
The images can be optimized, if needed, and can be wear is evident. Clean as necessary as directed in the
stored and shared digitally. These imaging plates work cleaning sections of this document.
with CARESTREAM INDUSTREX Computed
Radiography (CR) Systems.
Handling
CARESTREAM INDUSTREX Flex GP, HR, HR-PRO
and XL Blue Digital Imaging Plates are: Handling the IP between exposure and reading and
operating the CARESTREAM INDUSTREX CR Systems
Flexible—Wrap around most shapes. must be done in a darkened room that is free of light
Sharp—Better resolution than high-speed films and a contamination. It is not necessary to have complete
suitable replacement for many applications. darkness, but the room must have subdued lighting.
Excessive light levels in the processing room during
Available in Multiple Sizes—To cover a wide range of handling or scanning of the exposed imaging plates will
applications. result in poor results.
Portable—With a CARESTREAM INDUSTREX Digital Under normal use conditions, phosphor plates will
System, image capture in remote areas is easier than eventually show wear. Plate wear can result in artifacts
ever. on radiographs. This may occur from abrasion of the
Versatile—Use in a rigid or flexible cassette. protective overcoat or inadvertent physical damage to
the surface or edge. Certain chemical agents, such as
Efficient—Phosphor plates can be erased and reused non-approved plate cleaners, hand lotions, topical
thousands of times, require less exposure than film, and medications, food, and so forth, may also damage the
provide faster image access. plates.
Certified—When used with INDUSTREX Digital
Handle flexible phosphor plates with care. Hold plates by
Systems, all plates meet requirements for the highest
the edges and by the black side. Avoid contact with the
CR System class according to EN 14784-1 and
plate’s white or blue (phosphor) side. Make sure hands
ASTM E 2446.
are clean and dry. For best results, wear nitrile rubber or
latex gloves.
TECHNICAL DATA / Non-Destructive Testing TI–2632

Cutting
New imaging plates should be cleaned before the first
Cutting the plates is not recommended, as this will use. This will impart the necessary anti-static properties
compromise the edge seal and make the plates prone to and prevent the attraction of dust and dirt, which can
moisture damage at the edges. result in image artifacts.

Temperature Range
Important
The normal temperature operating range is –5 to 30 ºC
(23 to 86 ºF), although lower temperatures for short Water, isopropyl alcohol (Isopropanol or rubbing
periods (several hours) will have no detrimental effect on alcohol) and plate cleaners containing isopropyl
the performance or physical integrity of the plates. In alcohol are not recommended.
very hot environments, care should be exercised in
bending or flexing the plates, as the phosphor layer
could crack if flexed at temperatures exceeding 65 ºC Caution
(149 ºF). Between 65 and 100 ºC (149 and 212 ºF), Read and follow instructions in Material Safety data
minor distortions of the polyester support may occur, and Sheets (MSDS) for CARESTREAM Screen Cleaner
over 100 ºC (212 ºF), damage to the phosphor layer (CAT No. 845-4977).
(blistering/buckling) may occur.
Note: Plates should be wiped routinely to remove any
When radiography of very hot objects (such as hot dust and loose dirt. It is also a good idea to clean the
welds) is necessary, a thin fire-resistant insulating layer interior of flexible cassettes to avoid transfer of dirt or
may be placed between the cassette and the object, if dust to the plate. Other cleaning solutions can contain
experimentation shows it does not negatively affect chemicals that cause damage to the plate and could
image quality. result in immediate or future image artifacts.

Again, as a practical matter, the upper temperature limit

will be determined by the point at which the cassette Cleaning Methods
begins to burn or the lead identification letters begin to For routine cleaning, place the plate with the black (non-
melt. phosphor) side down on a clean, dry, non-abrasive
surface, such as the cassette’s cleaned Tube Side. Wipe
Cleaning Plates the plate gently to remove dust. For other dirt, use
CARESTREAM Screen Cleaner as follows:
CARESTREAM INDUSTREX Digital Imaging Plates
employ a phosphor that is moisture sensitive. When 1. Fold a non-abrasive, lint-free wipe or cloth, and
exposed to water (either liquid or vapor form) the dampen with a small amount of the solution.
phosphor breaks down and liberates iodine. The iodine
can become trapped within the phosphor layer at the
interface between the overcoat and phosphor layer. The Important
yellow-brown color in the iodine strongly absorbs the
blue light emitted by the phosphor. This results in a loss Do not pour the solution directly onto the plate.
in plate speed, which causes image quality problems. Excessive amounts of the screen cleaner may
damage the plate. Moisture can cause immediate or
future screen damage and image artifacts. Minimize
contact with moisture and always dry plates
immediately.

2. Wipe the plate thoroughly, one section at a time.

Fold the cloth to expose a fresh area for each
section of the plate.
3. If necessary, for the removal of persistent dirt, apply
pressure while cleaning.
TECHNICAL DATA / Non-Destructive Testing TI–2632

4. Thoroughly dry the plate with a clean and dry, Sharpness

non-abrasive, lint-free cloth to remove residual
Sharpness is typically characterized by Modulation
cleaner. Do not leave the plate to air dry.
Transfer Function (MTF), a measure of signal or image
modulation as a function of spatial frequency. The figure
below shows the MTF curves for all imaging plates and
Important highlights the improved sharpness of the HR and XL
Blue plates.
Never insert a storage phosphor plate into a
cassette unless the plate is thoroughly dry. Modulation Transfer Function
100

90 XL Blue

Characteristics 80 HR, HR-PRO

GP
70

Sharpness (MTF %)
60
Physical Properties 50

Nominal Thickness (microns) 40

30
Total Overcoat Phosphor Support Backing
20

10

XL 436 4 160 254 18 0

0 1 2 3 4 5 6
HR 436 4 160 254 18
Spacial Frequency (cycles/mm)

HR-PRO 443 11 160 254 18

H192_3008AA

GP 584 11 290 254 29

Signal Retention
CARESTREAM INDUSTREX Digital Imaging Plates are
The stored energy in the imaging plate phosphors will
comprised of a layer of barium fluorobromoiodide doped
decay over time, resulting in some signal loss. This
with divalent Europium (BaFBr/I:Eu2+), coated on a
effect is known as image fading. This loss is also a
10-mil polyester support.
function of temperature and will be greater at elevated
A polymer overcoat provides protection against normal temperatures.
handling such as fingerprints and moisture.
In most applications, this signal decay will be of little
For the HR-PRO digital imaging plate, a polyethylene importance, given the very wide latitude of storage
terephthalate (PET) laminate overcoat is applied over an phosphor imaging plates.
adhesive layer to improve the plate physical properties.
In critical applications, there are a few measures that
A black polycarbonate backing layer provides can be taken; when the interval between exposing and
anti-halation protection and curl control, and also readout is more than a few hours, the plates can be
contains slip agents for optimum transport through the exposed with a higher radiation dose
CR reader hardware. to compensate for signal decay.
For shorter intervals, simply keeping the time between
exposing and readout constant will eliminate any
Flexibility decay-induced variability.
The plates can be bent around pipes and other curved
surfaces down to a radius of one inch, although as a
practical matter, the bend radius will be much more
limited by the configuration of the cassette and the lead
screens when used.
TECHNICAL DATA / Non-Destructive Testing TI–2632

The figure below shows the percent signal retention at Emission

ambient temperatures after an exposure 120 kV in
accordance with ASTM E2445.The plot is representative The wavelength of light needed to stimulate phosphor
for Carestream Industrex flex digital imaging plates. The luminescence is different from the wavelength of light
signal retention remains above 75 % at 4 days. released by the phosphors. This enables the stimulating
Signal Retention light to be filtered from the phosphor luminescence.
The emission is typically stimulated with a red laser
diode, while the photostimulated emission of the
Carestream Industrex Digital Imaging Plates is a narrow
band of blue light near 400 nm.
Emission

GP, HR, HR-PRO, and XL Blue Emission

1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7

Relative Emission
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
Absorption 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800

Imaging plates are quite sensitive to low-energy scatter, Wavelength (nm)

as shown by their X-ray energy absorption curves below.
H192_3011AA
For this reason, the use of lead screens, especially at
energies greater than 100 kV, is important in controlling
scatter to produce optimum image quality. Disposal
Due to the presence of barium, this plate may be
considered a hazardous waste at the end of
its useful life.
Absorption
For disposal or recycling information, please contact
X-ray Absorption vs. X-ray Energy local authorities.
1 To locate the Article Information Sheet (AIS) for each
GP
plate, go to www.carestream.com and navigate to
Support and Education > Environment Health & Safety.
Relative (Photon) Absorption

All others

0.1 NOTICE: While the data in this publication are typical of

production coatings, they do not represent standards
which must be met by Carestream Health, Inc. Varying
storage, exposure, and operating conditions will affect
results. The company reserves the right to change and
0.01
0 50 100 150
improve product characteristics at any time.
X-ray Energy (kV)

H192_3010AA
TECHNICAL DATA / Non-Destructive Testing TI–2632

Carestream Health, Inc.

150 Verona Street
Rochester, NY 14608
United States

TI-2632
2016-09-29
Version 4.0

CARESTREAM and INDUSTREX are trademarks of

Carestream Health, Inc.
© Carestream Health, Inc. 2016
Printed in the United States