What is the purpose of a sensitometric strip in film processing QA?

• A. To monitor processor consistency and performance
• B. To monitor processor consistency and performance
• C. To measure patient radiation dose
• D. To evaluate film storage conditions

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is that a sensitometric strip is used to check how reliably the film processor is working. By exposing a strip that has known, stepped exposure levels and then processing it under normal QA conditions, you generate predictable changes in optical density that reflect the processor’s current performance—things like chemical activity, temperature, and replenishment. Regularly reading the densities (often with a densitometer) lets you spot drift or drops in processor performance, so you can adjust the developer temperature, chemistry levels, or processing time to keep results consistent.

This tool is not for measuring patient radiation dose—that's done with different devices and methods—and it also doesn’t assess film storage conditions, which relate to humidity, temperature control, and handling rather than how the film develops.