Single sided mammographic radiographic elements

A medical diagnostic radiographic element comprised of

• a film support capable of transmitting radiation to which the radiographic element is responsive having first and second major surfaces,
• hydrophilic colloid layer units consisting of
• an imaging layer unit coated on the first major surface including at least one emulsion containing radiation-sensitive silver halide grains and
• an antihalation layer unit coated on the second major surface,
• wherein, to facilitate mammographic imaging with processing times of less than 60 seconds,
• the silver halide grains are chosen from among silver bromide, silver iodobromide, silver chlorobromide and silver iodochlorobromide grains containing less than 4 mole percent iodide, based on silver,
• said layer units are fully forehardened and each exhibits a hydrophilic colloid coating coverage of less than 55 mg/dm.sup.2 and
• said radiation-sensitive silver halide grains are provided by a tabular grain emulsion in which the tabular grains have parallel twin planes and are coated at a coverage capable of providing a maximum density on processing of greater than 3.6 and,
• to provide a mid-scale contrast of greater than 3.0 and a lower scale contrast of greater than 2.2, said grains
• (a) exhibit an equivalent circular diameter coefficient of variation of less than 15 percent and
• (b) contain rhodium in a normalized molar concentration of less than 1.times.10.sup.-7 based on silver,
• mid-scale contrast being measured over a density range above minimum density of from 0.25 to 2.0 and lower scale contrast being measured from a reference density of 0.85 above minimum density to a density provided by an exposure of 0.3 log E less than that providing the reference density, where E represents exposure in lux-seconds.