To evaluate the effect of processing solution depletion on the image quality of F-speed dental X-ray film (Insight), compared with Ektaspeed Plus. Methods: The films were exposed with a phantom and developed in manual and automatic conditions, in fresh and progressively depleted solutions. The comparison was based on densitometric analysis and subjective appraisal. Results: The processing solution depletion presented a different behaviour depending on whether manual or automatic technique was used. The films were distinctly affected by depleted processing solutions. Conclusions: The developer depletion was faster in automatic than manual conditions. Insight film was more resistant than Ektaspeed Plus to the effects of processing solution depletion. In the present study there was agreement between the objective and subjective appraisals. © 2004 The British Institute of Radiology.332108113Syriopoulos, K., Velders, X.L., Sanderink, G.C.H., van Ginkel, F.V., van der Stelt, P.F., Sensitometric evaluation of four dental x-ray films using five processing solutions (1999) Dentomaxillofac Radiol, 28, pp. 73-79Frommer, H.H., Jain, R.K., A comparative clinical study of group D and E dental film (1987) Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 63, pp. 738-742Silha, R.E., Methods for reducing patient exposure combined with kodak Ektaspeed dental X-ray film (1981) Dent Radiogr Photogr, 54, pp. 80-87Kaffe, I., Littner, M.M., Kuspet, M.E., Densitometric evaluation of intraoral X rays films: Ektaspeed versus Ultra-speed (1984) Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 57, pp. 338-342Svenson, B., Lindvall, A.M., Gröndahl, H.G., A comparison of a new dental X-ray film, Agfa Gevaert Dentus M4, with Kodak Ektaspeed and Ultra-speed dental X-rays films (1993) Dentomaxillofac Radiol, 22, pp. 7-12Conover, G.L., Hildebolt, C.F., Anthony, D., Objective and subjective evaluations of Kodak Ektaspeed Plus dental X-ray film (1995) Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod, 79, pp. 246-250Syriopoulos, K., Velders, X.L., Sanderink, G.C.H., van Ginkel, F.V., van Amerongen, J.P., van der Stelt, P.F., The effect of developer age on the detection of approximal caries using three dental films (1999) Dentomaxillofac Radiol, 28, pp. 208-213Price, C., Sensitometric evaluation of a new F-speed dental radiographic film (2001) Dentomaxillofac Radiol, 30, pp. 29-34Tamburus, J.R., Lavrador, M.A.S., Radiographic contrast. A comparative study of three dental X-ray films (1997) Dentomaxillofac Radiol, 26, pp. 201-205Geist, J.R., Brand, J.W., Sensitometric comparison of speed group E and F dental radiographic films (2001) Dentomaxillofac Radiol, 30, pp. 147-152Ghilardi Netto, T., de Paula, E., Baffa, O., Pelá, C.A., Ghilardi, A.J.P., Características sensitométricas de filmes utilizados em radiologia odontológica. (1988) Odontol Mod, 15, pp. 6-12Hashimoto, K., Thunthy, K.H., Weinberg, R., Automatic processing: Effects of temperature and time changes on sensitometric properties of Ultra-speed and Ektaspeed films (1991) Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 71, pp. 120-124Price, C., Sensitometric evaluation of a new E-speed dental radiographic film (1995) Dentomaxillofac Radiol, 24, pp. 30-36Thunthy, K.H., Weinberg, R., Effects of developer exhaustion on Kodak Ektaspeed Plus, Ektaspeed, and Ultra-speed dental films (1995) Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 79, pp. 117-121Kitagawa, H., Farman, A.G., Wakoh, M., Nishikawa, K., Kuroyanagi, K., Objective and subjective assessments of Kodak Ektaspeed Plus new dental X-ray film: A comparison with other conventional X-ray films (1995) Bull Tokyo Dent Coll, 36, pp. 61-67Rout, P.G., Rogers, S.N., Chapman, M., Rippin, J.W., A comparison of manual and automatic processing in general dental practice (1996) Br Dent J, 181, pp. 99-101Ludlow, J.B., Platin, E., Densitometric comparisons of Ultra-speed, Ektaspeed, and Ektaspeed Plus intraoral films for two processing conditions (1995) Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod, 79, pp. 105-113Syriopoulos, K., Velders, X.L., Sanderink, G.C., van Ginkel, F.V., van der Stelt, P.F., Effects of developer exhaustion on the sensitometric properties of four dental films (1999) Dentomaxillofac Radiol, 28, pp. 80-88Syriopoulos, K., Velders, X.L., Sanderink, G.C., van der Stelt, P.F., Sensitometric and clinical evaluation of a new F-speed dental X-ray film (2001) Dentomaxillofac Radiol, 30, pp. 40-44Ludlow, J.B., Platin, E., Mol, A., Characteristics of Kodak Insight, an F-speed intraoral film (2001) Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod, 91, pp. 120-129White, S.C., Pharoah, M.J., (2000) Oral radiology, principles and interpretation, , 4th edn, St Louis: MosbyPasler, F.A., (1999) Radiologia Odontológica, , 3rd edn, Rio de Janeiro: MedsiLudlow, J.B., Abreu Jr, M., Mol, A., Performance of a new F-speed film for caries detection (2001) Dentomaxillofac Radiol, 30, pp. 110-113Nair, M.K., Nair, U.P., An in-vitro evaluation of Kodak Insight and Ektaspeed Plus film with a CMOS detector for natural proximal caries: ROC analysis (2001) Caries Res, 35, pp. 354-359Sheaffer, J.C., Eleazer, P.D., Scheetz, J.P., Clark, S.J., Farman, A.G., A comparison of D-, E- and F-speed conventional intraoral radiographic films in endodontic measurement (2002) Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod, 93, pp. 337-340