X Rays Research Paper

INTRODUCTION

X-rays are the oldest and most commonly used form of medical imaging. The X-ray uses a small dose of ionizing radiation to produce photographs of a body’s internal organs and structures. The procedure is quick and painless, and has been done for decades to help doctors diagnose fractured bones, look for injuries or infections, and to locate foreign objects in soft tissue without having to make an incision.

HOW DOES AN X-RAY WORK?

X-rays are similar to visible light. They both are a form of electromagnetic radiaton, and do travel as waves at a speed of 300,000 km/s. However, what makes them different are their respective wavelengths. Visible light has a wavelength of 380 to 760 nm, whilst the wavelength of X-rays are only 0.01

Upon the collision with the target, electrons will decelerate and slow down. The kinetic energy of the electrons will then be directly converted to X-rays that are called bremsstrahlung. If the bombarding electrons have adequate energy, they can come into the target metal atoms and knock out an electron from the inner shell. Electrons from the higher shell would then have to drop down to fill in the vacancy. In the process, the change of energy level and vibration emits X-rays. These x-rays are called characteristic x-rays.

An X-ray film devolps depending on the areas that are exposed to the X-rays. Black areas shows where the X-rays have passed through soft tissues, such as the heart and lungs. White areas represents where denser tissues, such as bones, have absorbed the

Some of the many uses include:

• detection of foreign objects - such as swallowed toys, bullet fragements and kitchen untensils

• as a surgical tool – assist doctors to accurately perform surgeries. For example, X-ray images may be taken during an orthopaedic surgery to let the surgeon see if the implanted device (e.g artifical leg) is in position, or if the fracture is aligned.

• diagnosis of dislocations and fractures – x-ray examinations can detect broken bones and reveal if the bones of a joint are irregularly positioned

• diagnosis of bone or joint conditions – e.g arthritis, scoliosis, osteoporosis and bone cancer

• diagnosis of mouth conditions – e.g reveal areas of decay that may not be visible with an oral examination or bone loss that accompanies gum disease

• diagnosis of conditions in the thoracic cavity– such as lung cancer, pneumonia, heart failure or