Contrast reduction in digital images due to x-ray induced damage to a TV camera's CCD image receptor

The CCD image receptor in a monochrome TV camera was irradiated in the dark with a single-phase 80 kVp narrow beam carrying an additional 0.5 mm Al filter. It was found that the CCD responded to the x-rays with a transient signal which would reach a maximum value at about 70 mR per image frame. The signal's contrast would reach a maximum of about 7%, but was detectable at much lower exposure rates. Continuous irradiation of the CCD image receptor created a 'lesion' at the point of incidence that remained after the x-ray beam was switched off. This signal seemed to be due to permanent damage to the CCD and could be detected after a cumulative exposure of less than 20 R. It was shown that such damage could be created much more effectively if the TV camera was switched off rather than on and the maximum contrast was achieved with about 75 R and 220 R respectively. The maximum contrast achieved was about 8%. Further increase in the cumulative exposure of a particular location on the CCD image receptor was not investigated but it seemed reasonable that much higher contrast values could be reached if irradiation was continued. The latter damage described here was found to persist for at least several weeks and hence it will probably prevent any normal use of the TV camera in the future.