X-ray laboratory

 

The institute's X-ray laboratory is equipped with a complete medical X-ray diagnostic facility. There is no patient operation, so that the facility is available for practical courses and research work. This enables extensive experimental consolidation of the teaching content on the complex of ionizing radiation in medicine

Experimental CT

Experimental CT A tilting table with an under-table tube, an electron-optical X-ray image intensifier and high-resolution X-ray television equipment is installed in the first X-ray room. This system was expanded to include an experimental CT scanner as part of several student qualification projects and with funding from the Thuringian Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Radiation Protection Seminar in Thuringia. For this purpose, a 3rd generation CT scanner is used in an inverted arrangement, i.e. the phantom or measurement object is rotated in the radiation field of a fixed X-ray tube and the attenuation profile is recorded using an industrial X-ray detector. The vertical displacement of the object allows volume data to be recorded. Students have the opportunity to investigate various influences on image acquisition, such as artifacts, resolution, etc., as part of a practical course.

TU Ilmenau
Figure 1: Turntable of the experimental CT with phantom
TU Ilmenau/Keller
Figure 2: Reconstructed layer of a skull phantom
 
TU Ilmenau
Figure 3: X-ray source with dose-area product measuring chamber
TU Ilmenau
Figure 4: Grid wall stand and X-ray source on the floor stand
Projection radiography

A projection radiography system with a stand and a grid wall stand has been available in the second X-ray room since February 2020. A rail-based system enables a wide variety of experiments to be carried out. All three generations of X-ray image converters can be used in operation for student training: analog X-ray film with intensifying screens, an imaging plate system and an indirect flat panel detector.

The darkroom is equipped with an automatic developing machine.

 
TU Ilmenau
In addition, numerous teaching and illustrative materials can be used in training. Figure 5: Fixed anode X-ray tube for dental systems
TU Ilmenau
Figure 6: Slotted anode plate of a rotating anode X-ray tube
Illustrative objects

In addition, numerous teaching and illustrative materials can be used in training.

 
 
Dosimetry

A total of 6 ionization chamber dosimeters are available for dosimetric measurements, two of which are also suitable for measuring low-energy scattered radiation. Measurement technology for constancy testing is also available. In addition, a dose-area product measuring chamber enables phantom doses to be recorded and the relationship to diagnostic reference values to be established. The X-ray equipment has type approval and its operation has been reported to the responsible authority in accordance with the Radiation Protection Ordinance.

Radiation protection

All practical courses work with remote-controlled X-ray sources so that students are not in the controlled area when the radiation is switched on. Nevertheless, they are monitored in the practical courses with direct-reading, in-house dosimeters. The equipment of the X-ray laboratory is funded by the Radiation Protection Seminar in Thuringia.