Hi, need to submit a 1250 words paper on the topic Critical Evaluation of the Impact of Digital Imaging. Nature of Medical Radiography The use of radiography in the field of medicine is often termed as x-ray technology. It usually involves sophisticated instruments to take photographs of the human body parts (Gateway Community College, 2012). Furthermore, medical radiography is also defined by the US Food and Drug Administration (2010) as a “a technique for generating and recording an x-ray pattern for the purpose of providing the user with a static image(s) after termination of the exposure”. Moreover, radiography may also be used during the planning of radiation therapy treatment since low energy x-rays have been observed to produce good effects on skin therapy and other health conditions.&nbsp.However, the long term exposures can possibly induce cancer, fetal and hereditary effects but the long term risk to an individual is low. This field is often distinguished from mammography, fluoroscopy,&nbsp.and&nbsp.computed tomography&nbsp.which are also types of x-ray imaging. The discovery of x-rays has given birth to medical imaging that we take advantage in the present age. Linton (1995) explained that the principle behind this technology is solely based upon the recognition that body parts absorb a beam of X-rays according to their density. In effect, an image is produced which allows the identification of body structures and is very useful in the recognition of abnormalities that can be an indication of an injury or a disease. The earliest medical x-ray images has successfully aid mostly the surgeons to locate bone fractures and displacements, gallstones, kidney stones, and bullets or metallic objects. However, the inside images of the organs have never been achieved which became a challenge to most of radiation scientists. This dilemma has lead to the discovery and development of more advanced modes of diagnostic imaging using x-rays. Medical imaging using general radiography The most basic type of imaging for diagnosis is famously known as general/projection radiography. Generally, x-ray intensities that exit the body are recorded for viewing and storage. The image generated may be recorded using different media. The recording media used usually defines the type of general radiography (Davidson 2007). Film/Screen (F/S) radiography: This type of radiography utilize films in combination with intensifying screens developed by Thomas Edison (Haus and Cullinan 1989). The purpose of the intensifying screen is to convert the x-ray energy to light. The increased efficiency of exposure of the film over exposure directly by the x-ray beam helps lower the risk of x-ray absorption of patient during exposure (Davidson 2007). The screens are usually made of scintillating material like phosphor which can reduce radiation dose to patient by a factor of 50. (Kanal 2010). X-ray films are designed to be sensitive to the specific spectral emission of a given intensifying screen. Consequently, films and screens are matched for optimized efficiency of conversion of x-ray photons to optical densities on the film (Davidson 2007). The factors that are usually considered in F/S radiography are the optical density (OD), conversion efficiency, F/S latitude, and contrast. Fauber (2007, as cited in Davidson 2007, p. 12) showed that optical density (OD) can range from 0.20 to 4 (maximum wherein the light intensity is high). Another characteristic of F/S combinations is F/S latitude.