Ionizing Radiation Types Quiz

Ionizing Radiation

• Ionizing radiation has enough energy to eject one or more electrons from atoms or molecules in the irradiated medium.
• Examples of ionizing radiation include alpha, beta, and gamma radiations, as well as X-rays and some ultra-violet rays.
• Visible or infrared light, microwaves, and radio waves are not ionizing radiation.

Types and Characteristics of Ionizing Radiation

• Alpha particles: consist of 2 neutrons and 2 protons, travel short distances, have large mass, and are only a hazard when inhaled.
• Beta particles: consist of electrons or positrons, have small mass and variable energy, and are formed when a neutron transforms into a proton and an electron.
• Gamma rays: result when the nucleus releases energy, usually after an alpha, beta, or positron transition.
• X-rays: occur when an inner shell orbital electron is removed, and rearrangement of atomic electrons results in the release of the element's characteristic X-ray energy.

X- and Gamma Rays

• X-rays are photons (electromagnetic radiations) emitted from electron orbits.
• Gamma rays are photons emitted from the nucleus, often as part of radioactive decay.

Radiation and Radioactivity

• Radiation is an energy in the form of electro-magnetic waves or particulate matter, traveling in the air.
• Radioactivity involves unstable atoms emitting and absorbing particles to reach stability.
• Unstable atoms have an excess of energy or mass and emit radiation to reach stability.

Atoms and Elements

• Atoms are composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
• The number of protons (atomic number) determines the element, while the number of protons and neutrons (mass number) determines the atomic mass.

Ionization

• Ionizing radiation is produced by unstable atoms.
• Unstable atoms emit radiation to reach stability, resulting in ionization.

Body Position Terms

• Erect positions: patient is standing with a specific surface of the body next to the cassette.
• Recumbent positions: patient is lying down, with specific positions including supine (posterior recumbent), prone (anterior recumbent), and right or left lateral recumbent.
• Oblique positions: body is rotated so that the medial sagittal plane is at an angle to the film.
• Decubitus positions: patient is lying down, with a horizontal beam used, and can be ventral, dorsal, or lateral decubitus.

Projection and Body Planes

• Projection refers to the path the beam takes through the part.
• Types of projections include anteroposterior (AP), posteroanterior (PA), and axial projections.
• Body planes include coronal, sagittal, axial, and transverse planes.

Directional Terms and Joint Movement

• Directional terms: anterior, posterior, cephalad, caudal, lateral, medial, proximal, and distal.
• Joint movement terms: extension, flexion, abduction, adduction, rotation, pronation, and supination.
• Examples of joint movements include abduction (away from the midline), adduction (towards the midline), and rotation (around the body part's axis).