Short communication: kilovoltage measurement with rhodium target and filters on mammography X-ray machines

X-ray machines used for mammography have, until recently, almost exclusively employed molybdenum (Mo) as anode material and filtration. In the UK, the RMI model 232 kVp meter is used extensively for the measurement of kilovoltage on such equipment. This unit is provided with switchable internal calibration only for molybdenum and molybdenum, or tungsten and aluminium, as anode and filtration, respectively. However, rhodium (Rh) has recently been introduced for filtration with either a molybdenum or rhodium anode in mammography equipment but, as yet, calibration facilities are not available for rhodium spectra. In this work, appropriate corrections for readings obtained with the RMI 232 kVp meter are derived for use with rhodium as filtration material with either molybdenum or rhodium anode material. An intercomparison between measurements made with four RMI model 232 kVp meters and nine IGE DMR X-ray sets was undertaken. The reproducibility of the instruments was confirmed and measurements of tube potential made on each of the X-ray sets pooled. Measurements were made from a nominal 25-35 kVp using Mo/Mo, Mo/Rh and Rh/Rh target/filter combinations. Corrections for readings obtained with Mo/Rh and Rh/Rh were produced by comparison with readings obtained with Mo/Mo, assuming stability of tube potential between anodes. The results are compared with data recently produced by the manufacturer of the meter.