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Questions and Answers
What is the primary mechanism by which characteristic X-ray radiation is produced?
What is the primary mechanism by which characteristic X-ray radiation is produced?
What is the purpose of the linear attenuation coefficient (μ) in X-ray attenuation?
What is the purpose of the linear attenuation coefficient (μ) in X-ray attenuation?
What is the effect of increasing the energy of the X-ray beam on the linear attenuation coefficient (μ)?
What is the effect of increasing the energy of the X-ray beam on the linear attenuation coefficient (μ)?
What is the half-value thickness (HVT) of a material?
What is the half-value thickness (HVT) of a material?
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What is the most common way of X-ray interaction with matter at diagnostic X-ray range?
What is the most common way of X-ray interaction with matter at diagnostic X-ray range?
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What is the characteristic of Bremsstrahlung radiation?
What is the characteristic of Bremsstrahlung radiation?
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What is the purpose of the equation I = I˳ e –μx in X-ray attenuation?
What is the purpose of the equation I = I˳ e –μx in X-ray attenuation?
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What is the relationship between the atomic number (Z) and the probability of photoelectric effect?
What is the relationship between the atomic number (Z) and the probability of photoelectric effect?
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What is the primary purpose of increasing the current in the cathode circuit?
What is the primary purpose of increasing the current in the cathode circuit?
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What is the advantage of using a rotating anode X-ray tube?
What is the advantage of using a rotating anode X-ray tube?
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What is the Bremsstrahlung Spectrum?
What is the Bremsstrahlung Spectrum?
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What is the purpose of using two filaments in an X-ray tube?
What is the purpose of using two filaments in an X-ray tube?
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What is the benefit of using a high melting point material for the anode?
What is the benefit of using a high melting point material for the anode?
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What is the result of increasing the kV peak?
What is the result of increasing the kV peak?
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What is the effect of increasing the focal spot area?
What is the effect of increasing the focal spot area?
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What is the line-focus principle?
What is the line-focus principle?
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What is the primary mechanism of direct radiation interaction with tissue?
What is the primary mechanism of direct radiation interaction with tissue?
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What is the minimum lag period between irradiation and cancer development for stochastic effects?
What is the minimum lag period between irradiation and cancer development for stochastic effects?
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What is the purpose of fluoroscopy in medical imaging?
What is the purpose of fluoroscopy in medical imaging?
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What is the primary component of a CT scanner that collects transmission projection data?
What is the primary component of a CT scanner that collects transmission projection data?
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What is the term that refers to a picture of a slice of the body?
What is the term that refers to a picture of a slice of the body?
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What type of radiation effect follows high radiation doses and results in relatively immediate damage?
What type of radiation effect follows high radiation doses and results in relatively immediate damage?
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What is the purpose of the X-ray detector system in fluoroscopy?
What is the purpose of the X-ray detector system in fluoroscopy?
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What is the result of indirect radiation interaction with tissue?
What is the result of indirect radiation interaction with tissue?
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What is the wavelength range of X-rays?
What is the wavelength range of X-rays?
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What is the primary factor that determines the energy of X-ray photons?
What is the primary factor that determines the energy of X-ray photons?
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What is the main purpose of the high positive potential in an X-ray tube?
What is the main purpose of the high positive potential in an X-ray tube?
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What is the effect of increasing the atomic number of the anode on X-ray beam intensity?
What is the effect of increasing the atomic number of the anode on X-ray beam intensity?
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What is the purpose of the screen in the cassette in film-screen technique?
What is the purpose of the screen in the cassette in film-screen technique?
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What happens to the valence band electrons when the detector is exposed to X-rays in computed radiography?
What happens to the valence band electrons when the detector is exposed to X-rays in computed radiography?
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What is the equation that represents the energy of X-ray photons?
What is the equation that represents the energy of X-ray photons?
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What is the main problem involved in obtaining good X-ray images?
What is the main problem involved in obtaining good X-ray images?
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What is the percentage of accelerated electrons energy converted to heat in an X-ray tube?
What is the percentage of accelerated electrons energy converted to heat in an X-ray tube?
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What is the term for the blurred edge of an object in the X-ray image?
What is the term for the blurred edge of an object in the X-ray image?
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What is the component of the X-ray tube that controls the number of electrons produced?
What is the component of the X-ray tube that controls the number of electrons produced?
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What is the term that represents the energy of X-ray photons?
What is the term that represents the energy of X-ray photons?
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What is the type of detector used in digital radiography?
What is the type of detector used in digital radiography?
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What is formed when the X-rays are absorbed by the amorphous selenium (a-Se) detector?
What is formed when the X-rays are absorbed by the amorphous selenium (a-Se) detector?
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What is avoided in digital radiography due to the use of amorphous selenium (a-Se) detectors?
What is avoided in digital radiography due to the use of amorphous selenium (a-Se) detectors?
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What is the function of the photomultiplier system in computed radiography?
What is the function of the photomultiplier system in computed radiography?
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What is the primary mechanism by which X-ray photons are produced in the Bremsstrahlung spectrum?
What is the primary mechanism by which X-ray photons are produced in the Bremsstrahlung spectrum?
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What is the benefit of increasing the area struck by electrons on the anode?
What is the benefit of increasing the area struck by electrons on the anode?
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What is the relationship between the atomic number (Z) of the target and the production of Bremsstrahlung radiation?
What is the relationship between the atomic number (Z) of the target and the production of Bremsstrahlung radiation?
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What is the effect of increasing the kV peak on the X-ray photons?
What is the effect of increasing the kV peak on the X-ray photons?
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What is the purpose of using a rotating anode X-ray tube?
What is the purpose of using a rotating anode X-ray tube?
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What is the advantage of using a high melting point material for the anode?
What is the advantage of using a high melting point material for the anode?
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What is the effect of increasing the current in the cathode circuit?
What is the effect of increasing the current in the cathode circuit?
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What is the purpose of using two filaments in an X-ray tube?
What is the purpose of using two filaments in an X-ray tube?
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What is the minimum energy required for pair production to occur?
What is the minimum energy required for pair production to occur?
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At what energy does the Compton Effect become more probable than the Photoelectric Effect in bone?
At what energy does the Compton Effect become more probable than the Photoelectric Effect in bone?
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What is the primary purpose of using high Z materials as X-ray contrast media?
What is the primary purpose of using high Z materials as X-ray contrast media?
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What is the atomic number of soft tissue?
What is the atomic number of soft tissue?
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At what energy does the Compton Effect become more probable than the Photoelectric Effect in water or soft tissue?
At what energy does the Compton Effect become more probable than the Photoelectric Effect in water or soft tissue?
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What is the result of the conversion of a high-energy photon into two particles in pair production?
What is the result of the conversion of a high-energy photon into two particles in pair production?
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What is the characteristic of the materials used as X-ray contrast media?
What is the characteristic of the materials used as X-ray contrast media?
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What is the relationship between the energy of the X-ray photon and the Compton Effect in materials with low Z number?
What is the relationship between the energy of the X-ray photon and the Compton Effect in materials with low Z number?
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What is the primary factor that affects the linear attenuation coefficient (μ) of a material?
What is the primary factor that affects the linear attenuation coefficient (μ) of a material?
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What is the effect of increasing the energy of the X-ray beam on the photoelectric effect?
What is the effect of increasing the energy of the X-ray beam on the photoelectric effect?
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What is the Half-value Thickness (HVT) of a material?
What is the Half-value Thickness (HVT) of a material?
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What is the formula to calculate the Half-value Thickness (HVT)?
What is the formula to calculate the Half-value Thickness (HVT)?
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What is the result of X-ray absorption by tissue?
What is the result of X-ray absorption by tissue?
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What is the purpose of the equation I = I˳ e –μx in X-ray attenuation?
What is the purpose of the equation I = I˳ e –μx in X-ray attenuation?
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What is the relationship between the atomic number (Z) and the probability of photoelectric effect?
What is the relationship between the atomic number (Z) and the probability of photoelectric effect?
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What is the effect of Compton scattering on X-ray beam intensity?
What is the effect of Compton scattering on X-ray beam intensity?
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Study Notes
Bremsstrahlung Spectrum (Continuous X-ray)
- A small fraction of accelerated electrons interact with the atomic nucleus, losing kinetic energy and emitting X-ray photons of equal energy (bremsstrahlung radiation)
- The amount of bremsstrahlung depends on the target's atomic number (Z) and kV peak
Characteristic X-ray
- Emitted when an electron interacts with an atomic electron, ejecting it from its shell
- The ejected electron vacancy is filled by an outer shell electron, emitting an X-ray photon with energy equal to the binding energy difference between the two shells
X-ray Absorption by Tissue
- X-ray attenuation reduces the beam intensity due to absorption and scattering
- Measured using the equation: I = I₀ e^(-μx)
- Linear attenuation coefficient (μ) measures the probability of photon interaction per unit length in a material
- Depends on X-ray energy, atomic number (Z), and material density (ρ)
- Half-value thickness (HVT) is the material thickness that reduces beam intensity by 50%
X-ray Interaction with Matter
- Photoelectric effect: low-energy X-ray photons transfer energy to atomic electrons, more common in high-Z materials
- Probability of photoelectric effect depends on the material
X-ray Tube Components
- Anode material should have a high melting point (e.g., tungsten: 3400°C)
- Techniques to overcome overheating:
- Equipping the X-ray tube with two filaments for large or small focal spots
- Increasing the anode area struck by electrons (focal spot area) without increasing image blurring
- Using rotating anode X-ray tubes (3600 rpm)
Types of X-rays
- Bremsstrahlung Spectrum (Continuous X-ray)
- Characteristic X-ray
Radiation Interactions with Tissue
- Direct interaction: radiation energy directly transferred to DNA, causing structural changes
- Indirect interaction: radiation energy absorbed by water molecules, forming free radicals that damage DNA molecules
Adverse Health Effects of Radiation
- Deterministic effects: high radiation doses causing immediate damage (minutes, hours, days, weeks)
- Stochastic effects: low radiation doses potentially leading to cancer development (lag period 5-20 years)
Fluoroscopy
- Continuous acquisition of X-ray images over time (real-time X-ray movie)
- Used for positioning catheters, visualizing contrast agents, and invasive therapeutic procedures
Computed Tomography (CT Scan)
- X-rays pass through the body at multiple angles, collecting transmission projection data
- Detector array collects data, which is synthesised by a computer into tomographic images of the patient
Physics of Diagnostic X-Rays
- X-rays are electromagnetic radiation with very short wavelengths (λ 1-0.1 A°) and high penetrating power.
- The energy carried by each photon depends on the frequency of radiation: E = h υ = h c /λ.
X-Ray Production
- X-rays are produced when highly energetic electrons interact with matter, converting some of their kinetic energy into electromagnetic radiation.
- The main components of an X-ray tube are:
- A source of electrons (cathode, filament)
- An evacuated space in which the electrons are accelerated (glass envelope)
- A high positive potential to accelerate the negative electrons (kV)
- A target which the electrons strike (anode)
- Up to 99% of accelerated electrons' energy is converted to heat, and approximately 1% is converted to X-ray photons.
Techniques to Overcome Overheating Problem in the Anode
- Using an anode material with a high melting point (e.g., tungsten, 3400°C)
- Equipping the X-ray tube with two filaments for large or small focal spots
- Increasing the area struck by electrons (focal spot area) without increasing image blurring by angulating the anode (line-focus principle)
- Using a rotating anode X-ray tube (3600 rotations per minute)
Types of X-Rays
- Bremsstrahlung Spectrum (Continuous X-ray): produced when accelerated electrons are decelerated and change direction, emitting X-ray photons of equal energy
- Characteristic X-ray: emitted when an electron interacts with an atomic electron within the anode, ejecting it from its shell and filling the vacancy with an outer shell electron, emitting an X-ray photon
X-Ray Interaction with Matter
- X-rays interact with matter through photoelectric effect, Compton scattering, and pair production
- Photoelectric effect: low-energy X-ray photon transfers all its energy to an atomic electron, commonly occurring in materials with high atomic number (Z)
- Compton scattering: X-ray photon collides with a loosely bound outer shell electron, transferring energy to the electron
- Pair production: high-energy photon is converted into an electron-positron pair, rarely occurring at diagnostic energy range
X-Ray Image Formation
- Basic requirements for X-ray image production are X-ray source and image receptor
- Image receptors:
- Film-screen technique: X-ray film and phosphor layer convert X-ray photons to visible light photons
- Computed radiography (CR) phosphor detectors: convert X-ray photons to electronic signals
- Digital radiography (DR): digital detectors convert X-ray photons to electronic signals
Radiographic Image Quality
- Blurring is a major problem in obtaining good X-ray images
- Bremsstrahlung Spectrum (Continuous X-ray) is the main cause of blurring
- Penumbra: blurred edge of an object in the X-ray image
X-Ray Absorption by Tissue
- X-ray attenuation is the reduction of the X-ray beam due to absorption and scattering
- Attenuation can be measured using the equation: I = I˳ e –μx
- Linear attenuation coefficient (μ) measures the probability of photon interaction per unit length in a specified material
- Half-value thickness (HVT) is the thickness of material that reduces the intensity of the beam to half its value
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Description
Explore the characteristics of X-ray radiation, including the continuous Bremsstrahlung spectrum and characteristic X-rays, as well as X-ray absorption by tissue.