What are the two types of filtration in radiation practice?

In radiation practice, the two types of filtration that are commonly recognized are added and inherent filtration.

Inherent filtration refers to the materials that are already part of the x-ray tube assembly, which naturally attenuate the x-ray beam before it exits the tube. This can include the glass or metal envelope of the tube, as well as the oil that fills the tube housing. These materials have a predefined thickness and will attenuate lower-energy x-rays that don’t contribute significantly to diagnostic imaging, thus improving image quality and patient safety.

Added filtration, on the other hand, involves additional materials placed in the path of the beam, typically outside the x-ray tube but before the image receptor. This filtration could include aluminum sheets or other materials specifically designed to filter out undesirable low-energy photons. The purpose of added filtration is to ensure that the x-ray beam consists of primarily higher-energy photons that are more effective for imaging and have less potential to contribute to radiation exposure.

Together, both types of filtration work to enhance the quality of the x-ray beam and reduce the patient's exposure to unnecessary radiation. Understanding these concepts is crucial for implementing effective radiation safety practices in medical imaging.