What is IEC 60336 about?
IEC 60336 is a series of documents for X-ray tube assemblies for the medical diagnosis that applies to focal spots in medical diagnostic x-ray tube assemblies for medical use, operating an x-ray tube voltage up to and including 150 kV.
IEC 60336 describes the test methods employing digital detectors for determining- focal spot dimensions in terms of nominal focal spot values, ranging from 0,1 to 3,0, line spread functions, one-dimensional modulation transfer functions, focal spot pinhole radiograms, and the means for indicating compliance.
Who is IEC 60336 for?
IEC 60336 is applicable to-
- Manufacturers of X-ray tube assemblies for medical diagnosis
- Medical laboratories
- Research centres
Why should you use IEC 60336?
The design of the x-ray tube determines the basic characteristics of x-ray beams such as focal spots size, x-ray fields uniformity, and the x-ray energy spectrum. These x-ray beams characteristics are important because they affect radiologic parameters such as spatial resolution, image contrast, and patient dose.
IEC 60336 provides methods for determining- focal spot dimensions in terms of nominal focal spot values, where operating an x-ray tube voltage up to and including 150 kV.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS EN IEC 60336:2021 supersedes IEC 60336:2005, which is withdrawn. BS EN IEC 60336:2021has some technical changes with respect to IEC 60336:2005, these include:
- Introduction of digital detectors and discretization errors
- Fewer normative requirements
- Support for both slit camera and pinhole camera
- Reintroduction of the distorted (skewed) focal spot
- Keeping of star patterns and blooming value as informative