When a beverage spills on a cassette, which component must be replaced?

In the context of radiographic cassettes, the screens are crucial components that contribute to the overall function of the cassette in capturing the x-ray image. When a beverage spills on a cassette, the main concern is how that spill affects the screens that may be made of materials sensitive to fluids, such as phosphor screens used in computed radiography.

If the spill seeps into the cassette, it can damage the screens, affecting their ability to convert x-ray energy into a visible image. This could lead to diminished image quality or even complete failure to produce an image. Therefore, replacing the screens is essential to ensure that the cassette can continue to function correctly and yield high-quality radiographic images after such an incident.

While the film, cassette, and darkroom supplies are also important aspects of the radiographic process, they are not as directly impacted by a spill as the screens are. The film could potentially be damaged depending on how the spill occurs, but the immediate component that would require replacement due to contamination and potential damage is the screens.