What is the initial step in the process of film processing in radiography?

The initial step in the process of film processing in radiography is exposing the film to the developer. This step is crucial because the developer is a chemical solution that brings out the latent image on the film, which was created when the film was exposed to radiation. During this stage, the silver halide crystals that were affected by exposure to radiation are reduced to metallic silver, creating a visible image.

This is a fundamental step before any other processing methods can take place because, without developing the film, there would be no image to fix, rinse, or dry. The timing and temperature of the exposure to the developer can significantly influence the quality of the final radiograph.