Metropolitan Medical Center- College of Arts, Science and Technology
Radiation Production and Characteristics
MIDTERM
Prepared by: Go, F.J.M.
Handout # 4
Patient
1. Primary radiation
• Useful beam used to form an image.
2. Secondary Radiation
• Leakage and scatter reaction.
[Link] Radiation
• X-rays scattered back in the direction of the incident x-ray beam.
3. Remnant Radiation/ Exit Beam
• X-rays that pass through the patient and interact with the image receptor.
• It is the remaining x-ray beam as the attenuated x- ray beam leaves the patient.
• Composition:
Ø Transmitted radiation
Ø Scattered radiation
X-ray Tube:
1. Off-focus/ Extra focal Radiation
• X-rays produced in the anode but not at the focal spot.
2. Leakage Radiation
• Secondary radiation emitted through the tube housing.
Other terms related:
1. Protective Barrier
• Any wall to which the useful beam can be directed.
2. Secondary Barrier
• Barrier designed to shield an area from secondary radiation.
3. Latent Image
• Invisible Image
• Unobservable image stored in the silver halide emulsion; it is made manifest
by processing.
4. Manifest Image
• The observable image that is formed when the latent image undergoes proper
chemical processing.
Interaction of Primary Radiation to Patient
• To produce a radiographic image, x-ray photons must pass through tissue
(matter) and interact with an image receptor (IR), a device that receives the
radiation leaving the patient.
1. Differential Absorption
• Definition: It is a process whereby some amount of the x-ray beam is (absorbed) in
the tissue and some passes through (transmits) the anatomic part.
FERICKA JOYCE GO 1
• Why is it called differential absorption? The term differential is used because varying
anatomic parts do not absorb the primary beam to the same degree.
MIDTERM
• - Importance: Differential absorption of the primary x- ray beam creates an image
that structurally represents the anatomic area of interest.
• Processes involved: Creating a radiographic image by differential absorption
requires several processes to occur:
Ø Beam attenuation (Absorption and Scattering)
Ø Transmission
A. Beam attenuation
• Definition: The reduction in the intensity or number of photons in the primary x-
ray beam as it passes through anatomic tissue.
• What happens during beam attenuation? During x-ray interaction with matter, the
primary x-ray beam passes through anatomic tissue, thereby losing some of its
energy (intensity). Fewer x-ray photons remain in the beam after it interacts with
anatomic tissue.
• Distinct process occurring during attenuation:
Ø Absorption
Ø Scattering
A.1. Absorption
• As the energy of the primary x-ray beam is deposited within the atoms comprising
the tissue, some x-ray photons are completely absorbed or partially absorbed.
A.2. Scattering
• Scattering is the process whereby the incoming photons are not absorbed but
instead lose energy during interactions with the atoms comprising the tissue.
• Scattered and secondary radiations provide no useful information and must be
controlled during radiographic imaging.
B. Transmission
• Description: Incoming x-ray photon that passes through the anatomic part
without any interaction with the atomic structures.
• Importance: The combination of absorption and transmission of the x-ray beam
provides an image that structurally represents the anatomic part.
Factors affecting beam attenuation:
1. Tissue thickness
• Relationships: Increase tissue thickness, increased beam attenuation either by
absorption or scattering, reduced x-ray by 50% for every 4-5cm, and decreased
transmission.
FERICKA JOYCE GO 2
2. Tissue Density
• It is the compactness of particles in a tissue.
MIDTERM
• Relationships: Increase tissue density, increased compactness of particles
comprising anatomic parts, increased beam attenuation, increased x-ray
absorption, and decreased transmission.
3. Atomic number of tissue
• Number of particle available for x-ray interaction.
• Relationships: Increase atomic number, increased number of particles available
for x-ray interaction, increased beam attenuation, increased x-ray absorption, and
decreased transmission.
4. Energy of x-ray beam
• Relationships: Increase penetrability of x-ray, decreased beam attenuation,
decreased x-ray absorption, and increased transmission.
FERICKA JOYCE GO 3
