Fluoroscopy and Image Intensifiers

If we want to define fluoroscopy in one sentence, we could say,

Fluoroscopy is a series of x-ray images recording along the time, namely x-ray video.

 Compared to the conventional x-ray imaging, fluoroscopy doesn't use film but a CCD video camera to record the projection. As a result, the "live" x-ray images can be played on a monitor.



The story about fluoroscopy has not yet been finished, we also need image intensifiers.

Due to the limited light produced from the fluorescent screens, early radiologists were required to sit in a darkened room, in which the procedure was to be performed, accustomizing their eyes to the dark and thereby increasing their sensitivity to the light.

Image intensifiers refer to a special component of the machine, which amplifies low intensity x-rays. This technique allow a radiologist to view the images on the monitor, not in darkened room any more.

Reference:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluoroscopy
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray_image_intensifier