Forehardened high aspect ratio silver halide photographic elements and processes for their use

In a radiographic element comprised of a substantially specularly transmissive support having first and second major surfaces and, located on each of said major surfaces,

• one or more hydrophilic colloid layers including at least one emulsion layer containing radiation-sensitive silver bromide grains containing up to 6 mole percent iodide,
• the improvement wherein
• at least 50 percent of the total projected area of said silver bromide grains in at least one emulsion layer is provided by thin tabular silver bromide grains optionally containing iodide having a thickness of less than 0.2 micron and an average aspect ratio in the range of at least 12:1 and
• said hydrophilic colloid layers being forehardened in an amount sufficient to reduce swelling of said layers to less than 200 percent, percent swelling being determined by (a) incubating said photographic element at 38.degree. C. for 3 days at 50 percent relative humidity, (b) measuring layer thickness, (c) immersing said photographic element in distilled water at 21.degree. C. for 3 minutes, and (d) determining the percent change in layer thickness as compared to the layer thickness measured in step (b).