Use of X-ray film: technical discussion with example images

Years ago now I cut some 8x10 Xray down to 5x7's and a strip just big enough for a little more than the image height (landscape mode) of a 35mm camera. I loaded some into reusable 35mm cartridges and took some pictures. I did not like how hard it seemed to advance the film using an Olympus OM-1, some of the internal parts are plastic of a "certain" age, and at some point I ran out of 1x8 pieces. Along the way I did get a bunch of usable images. I enlarged one, developed in Tylenol made into Rodinal, I think. It made a very nice 5x7 and that was cropped a bit so I suspect it would withstand considerable enlarging beyond that. The taking lens was the kit lens for the camera an F1.8 50mm, probably at f8 or 11 and I used the self timer for the exposure, so very little shake. I think this was all done with Ektascan-BRA mammography film that has/had an antihalation layer to it so I don't have weirder highlights than normal. The detail possible reminds me of a couple of rolls of Tech Pan someone gave me.

the only "panoramic" stuff I've done with film was putting 3 sheets of 8x10 xray into a pinhole camera for a 24x10. It was way too curved a can for this and the distortion was not to my taste. I could live with the central sheet, but the "wings"? No thanks. Someday I may build a better setup for W-I-D-E photos, but not any time soon, likely, too much non-photo going on.
Still, I'm encouraged to see the panoramic and general "small" camera usage. I have a couple MF cameras and a few 35mm ones, besides the LF ones, some with lenses some as pinholes.
Thanks for a nice break, I'd better get back to work.

Tests...Fuji HRT, along with testing my new scanner. There was a big light leak along the bottom, so this is more from a 8x8" section of the negative.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/j0x0z...lsda9ptx&raw=1

Looks good to me!

Thanks, Randy. None of those....poplar?....... trees are there anymore. :(

"is intended for standard or rapid cycle processing using hardened developers such as KODAK X-OMAT EX II or KODAK RP X-OMAT
Developer and Replenisher." is what the technical paper of a Carestream X-ray film states.
No, I do not intend to use that developer (as I suppose it is a very fast and hard working one), but I am interested to know if there can be hardening in the developing stage. Until now I thought this can happen not before fixing.
So how do I prepare a developer that hardens the emulsion but still lets the developing agent diffuse into the gelatin? My hope is, attacking the problem in the earliest stage possible, to avoid scratches.

Just leaving a note here for a development routine that I doubt anyone else has tried: I've been getting excellent results with XTOL 1:7 (yes, 7) stand development at 2 hours. Anywhere from ISO 50-250 or so.

The highly dilute stand developing is very compensating, so a range of ISOs work, but you get more grain still higher up and more contrast. it's just that it remains acceptable in some cases in my opinion to 250, if the speed is needed. I try to stick to 125 if the speed isn't needed. 400 can work if you artistically are fine with or want a partially blown/blocked high or low key image. 25 is getting too dense and losing information. That's for HR-U.

For RX-N, the same development works for clear sunny days, for overcast I add 1 stop versus HR-U (there's less blue light compared to other colors)

I wanted to use XTOL due to environmental and low toxicity reasons. And then stand for compensation, and as a bonus it's incredibly cheap due to the dilution. And low effort as you are not standing there agitating it.

I use pyrocat developer because of its hardening qualities. I get fewer scratches with that developer.

I don't get scratches

Two things to consider, for those trying to solve the issue of scratching:

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Do not cut your films to fit your holders.
It might sound weird, but in the long run it's cheaper and far less frustrating to buy a user camera and film holders to fit your chosen film stock, than cutting film to fit your existing camera and film holders…
This solution, besides the initial extra cost, restricts you to specific film formats...

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Now, if you must cut xray film, *never* let two cut pieces contact each other, either before or during processing.
The cut edge is too sharp, and they will scratch and bruise each other, no matter how careful you might be…

Instead, load each cut piece into a film holder, right after cutting it, and only remove it from the holder to process it.

Processing should be done individually, either in flat bottomed trays, in Jobo expert drums, or in hangers (actually, I have never gotten good results with hangers, but others seem to have).

Also, even though all xray films are finicky in terms handling, some are worse than others.

For example, from the 7 makes and models which I tried before settling to Fuji mammographic films (first AD-M, and later UM-MA) the very worst was the Fuji RX-N.

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Best of luck…