Abstract: The invention is generally accomplished by providing a tabular silver halide emulsion formation process in which the pH is controlled to greater than 9 by the addition of an alkali base prior to digesting to form uniform nucleated silver bromide particles. In a particularly preferred process the emulsion is adjusted to a pH greater than 9 by the use of sodium hydroxide, digestion takes place in between 3 and 7 minutes, and the emulsion making is completed in less than 100 minutes without the use of ammonium hydroxide. The emulsions formed are suitable for x-ray films and produce the image tone required by radiologists.

Abstract: A unitary intensifying screen and radiographic element are disclosed comprised of adjacently coated silver halide emulsion and X radiation absorbing fluorescent layers. The fluorescent layer (a) is capable of attenuating at least 5 percent of a reference X radiation exposure produced by a Mo target tube operated at 28 kVp with a three phase power supply, wherein the reference X radiation exposure passes through 0.03 mm of Mo and 4.5 cm of poly(methyl methacrylate) to reach the fluorescent layer mounted 25 cm from a Mo anode of the target tube and attenuation is measured 50 cm beyond the fluorescent layer, (b) contains a phosphor which exhibits a conversion efficiency at least equal to that of calcium tungstate, (c) exhibits modulation transfer factors greater than those of reference curve A in FIG. 3, and (d) exhibits an optical density of less than 1.0.