American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) Radiographic Testing Practice Test

The distinction between film and digital radiography fundamentally revolves around the method of recording the image. In film radiography, images are captured on photographic film, which requires a chemical process to develop and visualize. This traditional approach depends on the characteristics of film emulsion and the development process, which uses specific processing chemicals to produce the radiographic image.

On the other hand, digital radiography utilizes electronic sensors such as charge-coupled devices (CCDs) or flat-panel detectors to capture the radiation exposure and convert it directly into a digital image. This allows for immediate visualization, enhanced image manipulation, and easier storage and sharing of images without the need for chemical processing.

While the type of radiation used and exposure times may vary in some specific circumstances between these two methods, they do not represent the fundamental difference between them. Likewise, although processing chemicals are integral to film radiography, they do not apply to the digital method at all, which utilizes electronic data instead of chemical development. Thus, the method of recording the image stands out as the primary differentiator between film and digital radiography.