X-rays in Medicine

X-rays are used in medicine

• X-rays are high frequency, short wavelength electromagnetic waves

• Wavelength is roughly same size as diameter of atom

• Transmitted by healthy tissue, but absorbed by dense materials like bone and metal

• Affect photographic film in same way as light so can take photographs

• Can be used to diagnose bone fractures and dental problems

• Images can be formed electronically using charge-coupled devices (CCDs)

• CCDs are silicon chips about size of postage stamp, divided into grid of millions of pixels

• CCDs detect x-rays and produce electronic signals whic form high resolution images

• Same technology used in digital cameras

CT scans use x-rays

• Computerised axial tomography use xray to produce high resolution images of soft and hard tissue

• Patient put inside cylindrical scanner, xray…