Processing trends

This paper identifies trends associated with the performance of automatic film processors in hospitals and nonhospital facilities, including chiropractic facilities. Automatic film processors were evaluated in more than 1,700 facilities as a part of the Nationwide Evaluation of x-ray Trends (NEXT) program. Processing was evaluated with use of the Sensitometric Technique for Evaluation of Processing (STEP) procedure, which involves the exposure of control film to a calibrated light sensitometer and evaluation of the resultant film density. A processing speed index of 100 means that the processor is processing films according to the film manufacturers' normal recommended specifications; deviation from this value suggest underprocessing or overprocessing conditions