SELECTIVE EXPOSURE RADIOGRAPHY IS A TECHNIQUE IN WHICH A PATIENT-SPECIFIC DIGITAL-BEAM ATTENUATOR (DBA) IS PLACED BEFORE THE PATIENT TO OPTIMIZE THE DISTRIBUTION OF INCIDENT RADIATION.

SELECTIVE EXPOSURE RADIOGRAPHY IS A TECHNIQUE IN WHICH A PATIENT-SPECIFIC DIGITAL-BEAM ATTENUATOR (DBA) IS PLACED BEFORE THE PATIENT TO OPTIMIZE THE DISTRIBUTION OF INCIDENT RADIATION. THE FILTER IS FABRICATED BY A PRINTER EQUIPPED WITH A CERIUM RIBBON. THE FILTER IS BASED ON TEST SHOT INFORMATION DIGITIZED FROM THE OUTPUT OF A DETECTOR BEHIND THE PATIENT. THE TECHNIQUE IS BEING DEVELOPED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN UNDER NIH AND NSF SUPPORT. THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDY WILL INVESTIGATE THE CLINICAL EFFICIENCY OF THE TECHNIQUE BUT USES A DETECTOR WHICH IS TOO CUMBERSOME FOR COMMERCIAL IMPLEMENTATION. DISSEMINATION OF THE TECHNIQUE WILL DEPEND ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DETECTOR NOT MUCH LARGER THAN A CHEST FILM CASSETTE THAT CAN BE RETROFITTED TO EXISTING CHEST RADIOGRAPHY UNITS. LUNAR RADIATION CORPORATION INTENDS TO DEVELOP SUCH A DETECTOR AND TO SUPPLY IT TO WHICHEVER X-RAY COMPANIES MAY BE LICENSED BY THE WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION WHICH HOLDS A PATENT ON THE AUTOMATED BEAM COMPENSATION TECHNIQUE.