X-RADIOGRAPHY
(Group 1)
Group Members:
Decalan, Carrie
Odiyoma, Precious
Soliba, Rember
Villanueva, Sunshine
BSN1- Section 2
July 14, 2016
DEFINITION
Radiography is an imaging technique (is the application of materials and methods to create,
preserve, or duplicate images) that uses electromagnetic radiation (is the radiant energy released by
certain electromagnetic processes) other than visible light, especially X-rays, to view the internal
structure of a non-uniformly composed and opaque object (i.e. a non-transparent object of varying
density and composition) such as the human body.
X- Ray is an electromagnetic wave of high energy and very short wavelength, which is able to
pass through many materials opaque to light. X-ray is a photographic or digital image of the internal
composition of something, especially a part of the body, produced by X-rays being passed through it
and being absorbed to different degrees by different materials.
HISTORY
In late 1895, a German physicist, W. C. Roentgen was working with tubes similar to our
fluorescent light bulbs. He evacuated the tube of all air, filled it with a special gas, and passed a high
electric voltage through it. When he did this, the tube would produce a fluorescent glow. Roentgen
shielded the tube with heavy black paper, and found that a green colored fluorescent light could be
seen coming from a screen setting a few feet away from the tube. He realized that he had produced a
previously unknown or ray, that was being emitted from the tube; a ray that was capable of passing
through the heavy paper covering the tube. Through additional experiments, he also found that the
new ray would pass through most substances casting shadows of solid objects on pieces of film. He
named the new ray, X-ray, because in mathematics &is used to indicate the unknown quantity. His
discovery Roentgen found that the X-ray would pass through the tissue of humans leaving the bones
and metals visible. One of Roentgens first experiments late in 1895 was a film of his wife Bertha's
hand with a ring on her finger
FUNCTIONS
How x rays work?
X rays pass easily through air and soft tissue of the body. When they encounter more dense
material, such as a tumor, bone, or a metal fragment, they are stopped. Diagnostic x rays are
performed by positioning the part of the body to be examined between a focused beam of x rays and
a plate containing film. This process is painless. The greater the density of the material that the x
rays pass through, the more rays are absorbed. Thus bone absorbs more x rays than muscle or fat,
and tumors may absorb more x rays than surrounding tissue. The x rays that pass through the body
strike the photographic plate and interact with silver molecules on the surface of the film.
Once the film plates have been processed, dense material such as bone shows up as white,
while softer tissue shows up as shades of gray, and airspaces look black. A radiologist, who is a
physician trained to interpret diagnostic x rays, examines the pictures and reports to the doctor who
ordered the tests. Plain film x rays normally take only a few minutes to perform and can be done in a
hospital, radiological center, clinic, doctor's or dentist's office, or at bedside with a portable x-ray
machine.
USES
X-rays have the following properties:
They can penetrate less dense matter such as skin
not bone)
and body tissue (but
They have a range of frequencies (lower frequency Xenergy and are therefore less penetrating and
rays have less
ionizing)
They leave an image on photographic paper
More dense areas in our bodies, such as bone, allow
through and so appear paler on X-ray images.
fewer X-rays
Less dense areas, such as skin and many tissues, allow more X-rays though. These appear
black on X-ray images.
X-rays give more reliable results than ultrasound when checking for broken bones and so Xrays are used more often to check for breaks. Although X-rays used to take photographs are
relatively safe, they can cause cells to become cancerous. Therefore, precautions are taken in
hospitals to limit the doses received by patients and staff.
The low risk posed by X-rays to a mother and her unborn baby means that ultrasound is used
instead of X-rays for pre-natal checks.
OTHER USES OF X-RAY
Before the use of gamma rays, a highconcentrated dose of X-rays was used to
cancers. X-rays are still used to identify
X-rays are also used in CAT scans. CAT
Computer Axial Tomography and
dimensional image from a large series of
images.
X-rays are also used in fluoroscopy. This allows doctors to see
the internal structures of patients. The patient stands
source and a fluorescent screen and a large
images are taken to form a short film. These
investigate problems with the digestive system.
energy,
treat some
tumors.
stands for
generates a threetwo-dimensional X-ray
moving images of
between an X-ray
number of
are often used to