X-Rays in Medicine

• What are some uses of X-rays in Medicine?

  Diagnosis, treatment, X-ray imaging, X-Ray therapy
• What are some uses of Gamma Rays?

  Cancer treatment, sterilisation, and imaging.
• X-rays and Gamma Rays are ionising radiation and can cause mutations in DNA
• Process of producing X-Ray Images:

  1. Patient receives a Barium meal
  2. X-Ray tube is turned on and x-rays pas through different parts of the body and absorbed by the bones
  3. The Barium meal absorbs a lot of X-Rays and can be seen in the image
  4. As the x-rays travel pass the body and hit the X-ray film, it will turn black. The areas where the x-rays are absorbed and don't hit the film leave a white area
• X-rays are absorbed by dense objects like bones or foreign objects, but never soft tissue
• Why are lead plates and film badges necessary during x-ray imaging?

  Lead plates are to prevent unnecessary exposure to areas of a patient

  Film Badges to keep track mow much exposure to radiation
• Describe the properties that makes x-rays suitable for x-ray imaging

  Can travel through substances

  Produced when electrons move at high speeds (leads to Ionisation)

  Can be absorbed by dense objects