Autoradiographic film evaluated with desktop scanner

A procedure is described herein for the densitometric calibration of autoradiographic films, utilizing a desktop scanner. The method yields a calibration accuracy of ±0.03 reflection density units over the range from 0 to 1.7. The calibration procedure was applied to Amersham “Hyperfilm-βmax” autoradiographic film against 14C, 36Cl, 60Co, 133Ba, 137Cs and 241Am. An exponential function was used to describe the useful range of the characteristic curves of this film, which is between 1×104 and 1×105 (discharges mm−2) for 14C and 36Cl and between 105–106 (discharge mm−2) for the other gamma-emitting isotopes.