Brown or green stains on the film are commonly due to which issue?

• A. Inadequate fixing due to old solution
• B. Brown stains
• C. Splashed
• D. Scratched

Answer: (A)

Stains like brown or green on processed radiographs come from a processing chemistry problem, specifically inadequate fixation caused by an old or exhausted fixer. Fixer is responsible for removing unexposed silver halide from the film emulsion. When the fixer is old, its fixing power drops, so not all the unexposed crystals are removed. Those residues can interact during drying and washing—silver compounds such as silver sulfide can form—leading to brown or green discoloration across the film. This is a clear sign that the fixer needs refreshing and the fixation time and washing should be checked. Splashes would produce streaks or blotches, scratches are physical damage, and those issues don’t typically cause this uniform staining pattern.