How often should the screen/film contact be checked?

• A. Monthly
• B. Semi-annually
• C. Annually
• D. Weekly

Answer: (B)

A key idea here is how often routine quality checks should be performed to ensure the sharpness of radiographs. Screen-film contact matters because any gap or misalignment between the radiographic screen and the film can blur fine details, especially at the edges of the image. The check looks for looseness, warping, or improper seating of the cassette that would degrade image quality.

The recommended frequency is every six months. This semi-annual interval reflects that contact issues tend to develop gradually with regular use and handling, so a twice-yearly test catches meaningful degradation without overburdening daily workflow. If the test shows good contact, you can continue with the interval; if problems are found, perform more frequent checks and repair or replace components as needed. Weekly would be overly frequent for wear-related changes, monthly is more than typically necessary for this parameter, and waiting a full year risks missing gradual deterioration that could affect image sharpness.