DENSITOMETRIC COMPARISONS OF ULTRA-SPEED, EKTASPEED, AND EKTASPEED-PLUS INTRAORAL FILMS FOR 2 PROCESSING CONDITIONS

This study compared film speed, contrast, exposure latitude, and resol ution of Ultra-speed, Ektaspeed, and Ektaspeed Plus films (Eastman Kod ak Co., Rochester, N.Y.). Densitometric curves were generated for each film type under processing conditions of fresh and used chemistry to observe their effect on factors associated with diagnostic quality. Ek taspeed Plus film displayed the least variability due to processing co ndition of any film; it also demonstrated the fastest speed and was tw ice as fast as Ultra-speed film. Ektaspeed exhibited the greatest rela tive exposure latitude followed by Ektaspeed Plus and Ultra-speed. Ave rage gradient over a clinically useful range of densities was greatest far Ultra-speed in fresh processing solutions, but greatest for Ektas peed Plus in used processing solutions. All film types were able to re solve more than 16.6 line pairs per millimeter regardless of processin g conditions. The results of this study suggest that dental practition ers who have refrained from using E-speed film because of the sensitiv ity of this film to variations in processing may now consider providin g this dose-reducing technology for their patients with the expectatio n of obtaining consistent image quality.