The standard X-ray tube used in hospitals produces a beam that contains a broad spectrum of frequencies (called a Polychromatic X-ray beam). It generates "soft" X-rays (≤15keV) that barely penetrate the skin at the low end of the spectrum. At the high end, it produces "hard" X-rays (≥50keV) that ricochet off bone and tissue, creating a fog that obscures subtle features in X-ray images.

The Monochromatic X-ray is a narrow-bandwidth X-ray beam suited to the imaging work being conducted. By eliminating the unnecessary soft X-ray beams that mostly accumulate in a patient’s body and contribute to the radiation dose received during the exam, as well as the hard X-ray beams that reduce the quality of the picture, we are able to reduce the radiation dose significantly -- by up to 2 to 50 times -- and increase the clearness of the picture by up to 2 to 20 times, according to various studies.

The above composite x-ray spectrum, generated with a 45kVp source, illustrates the difference between the typical polychromatic spectrum (in black) and four monochromatic specra (in red, yellow, green and blue). All these spectra were generated with the same x-ray tube, both with and without our Tunable MXF Filter.