The use of macro-radiography in the initial examination of the petrous temporal region.

The results of the survey show that macroradiography of the petrous temporal region is not a common practice. However, the results of the tests show that an increase in discernible detail can be achieved with only a slight increase in geometrical unsharpness, no loss in resolution and, if departmental protocol is to produce AP images through the magnified orbits, a reduction of over 100 times in the radiation exposure dose to the lens of the eye by producing PA macroradiographs instead. Taking into consideration both the image quality of the macro-radiographs obtained, and the radiation exposure dose received by the lens of the eye, the most suitable macroradiographic technique has been implemented within the department as a routine procedure.