Which rays are used to photograph the bones inside the body?
What is an X-ray?X-rays use a special type of radiation to take pictures of bones and some parts inside the body, including the lungs. You will be asked to lie on a bed or sit down between the X-ray tube and a receiving plate which makes the picture. Show
A plain X-ray is used to look at bones for:
Benefits of X-rays
Risks of X-raysYour doctor knows the risks of having an X-ray. Your doctor will consider the risks before recommending you to have an X-ray. X-rays have possible risks for pregnant women and should only be performed in urgent situations. There is a very small chance you could develop cancer in the long term from the radiation from an X-ray. Preparation
Just before the X-ray
Tell your doctor
What happens during an X-ray?X-ray staff will ask you to stand, sit or lie down depending on which part of the body is being X-rayed. Tell the staff if you have difficulty standing or sitting. X-ray staff may place a protective shield over the parts of your body not being X-rayed, or you may be asked to wear a protective apron. Once you are ready, the staff will go behind a screen or into the next room to start the X-ray machine. They will ask you to be still, and may ask you to take a deep breath and hold your breath during the X-rays. When your X-ray is finished you will be asked to wait while the staff check the pictures, as you may need another X-ray. The X-ray usually takes about 15 minutes including time taken to get ready. ConsentYou have the right to refuse an examination and may do so if you wish. A written consent is generally not required for plain X-rays. When will I get the results?The amount of time it takes for you to get your results will differ depending on where you get your scans done. The radiology doctor will look at the pictures and write a report. The pictures may be on films or on a CD. Ask whether you should wait to take the pictures and report with you, or whether they will be sent to your doctor. Your doctor will need to discuss the report with you. You will need to make an appointment to do this. After the X-rayYou will be able to go soon after the X-ray is finished and can continue with normal activities. Costs of X-raysFor an Australian patient in a public hospital in Western Australia:
For a patient in a private hospital or private imaging site in Western Australia – ask your doctor or the staff where you are having your test done. This publication is provided for education and information purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not imply endorsement and is not intended to replace advice from your healthcare professional. Readers should note that over time currency and completeness of the information may change. All users should seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional for a diagnosis and answers to their medical questions. Introduction[edit | edit source]X-rays are a type of radiation called electromagnetic waves (with wavelengths ranging from 0.01 to 10 nanometers). X-ray imaging creates pictures of the inside of your body. The images show the parts of your body in different shades of black and white. This is because different tissues absorb different amounts of radiation. Calcium in bones absorbs x-rays the most, so bones look white. Fat and other soft tissues absorb less and look grey. Air absorbs the least, so lungs look black. In the setting of diagnostic radiology, X-rays have long enjoyed use in the imaging of body tissues and aid in the diagnosis of disease.
Other uses of X rays for Imaging[edit | edit source]Fluoroscopy
Physiotherapy Use[edit | edit source]In terms of physiotherapy, X-rays are especially useful in detecting and monitoring pathologies of the skeletal system as well as the respiratory system. Skeletal System[edit | edit source]Since bone is a solid object it reflects the rays from the machine and project on the film as white in colour, one can easily identify a fracture or misalignment in the continuity of the bone. As mentioned above these images can be used for diagnostic purposes in terms of identifying the location and type of fracture and may give the clinician an idea of the prognosis of healing. The second use of X rays in the skeletal system is they may be used as a progress monitor as the clinician is able to identify which stage of healing the fracture is currently in i.e. gumming or union. Chest X-rays[edit | edit source]This form of radiography is commonly used to identify cardiopulmonary pathology such as Pneumothorax, Hemothorax or atelectasis in the lungs. Physiotherapist's use this form of radiography to locate areas of possible atelectasis and this allows them to focus their expansion techniques on the localized area of collapse i.e. right lingual lobe. This form of X-ray also allows the clinician to evaluate the general state of the lungs and to a lesser extent the heart. As with skeletal X-rays, chest X-rays may be used to monitor progress during treatment as secretion accumulation, atelectasis or any other pathology in the lungs should theoretically decrease with effective treatment and this is often visible on a chest X-ray. It is however important for the clinician to use other objective measures to monitor patient progress such as chest expansion measurements, auscultation and endurance testing as chest X rays may be contradicting or inconclusive with regards to prognosis evaluation. Formation of Radiographs[edit | edit source]X-ray photons have the potential to penetrate tissue and will be attenuated in part by the tissue, and in part will pass through the tissue to interact with and expose the radiographic film. Absorption of X-rays is a function of the atomic number and thickness of the tissues/objects. Tissues/objects with a higher atomic number will absorb more radiation than tissues with a lower atomic number. Thicker tissue/objects will absorb more X-rays than thinner tissue of similar composition. The greater the amount of tissue absorption, the fewer X-ray photons reach the film, and the whiter the image on the film. The radiograph will display a range of densities from white, through various shades of grey, to black. Radiopaque tissues/objects appear more white and radiolucent tissues/objects appear more black. The resultant pattern of opacities forms an image on the radiograph, which is recognisable in form, and which can be interpreted. Radiopacity[edit | edit source]The radiopacity of various objects and tissues results in radiographs showing different radiopacities, and hence they can be differentiated. Radiopaque tissues/objects result in a whiter image; less radiopaque objects result in a blacker image. The radiopacity depends on the atomic number (the higher the atomic number, the more radiopaque the tissue/object), physical opacity (air, fluid and soft tissue have approximately the same atomic number, but the specific gravity of air is only 0.001, whereas that of fluid and soft tissue is 1, therefore air will appear black on a radiograph, compared with fluid and soft tissue, which appear more grey), and thickness (the thicker the tissue/object, the greater the attenuation of X-Rays and the more white the image will be. Basic Tissue Radiographic Opacities[edit | edit source]Mineral.
Bone is composed primarily of calcium and phosphorus. There is a normal variation in radiopacity within the same bone and between bones because of the difference in radiopacity of compact vs spongy bone, trabecular bone vs intertrabecular spaces and cortical bone vs medullary canal. Diseased bone may be more (sclerotic) or less (porotic) opaque than normal bone. Only these five radiographic opacities are visible on a radiograph, however, there is some variation in opacity within each group. Potential areas for film and/or processing errors[edit | edit source]
Caution to the radiograph viewer/interpreter – There is an inherent error that occurs when a 2-dimensional image is created to depict 3-dimensional structures that are often superimposed on one-another. Due to this fact, radiographic studies of specific body regions often include 3 or more views from different angles.[3] Four principle sources of radiographic error
Resources[edit | edit source]The Norwich Image Interpretation Course. This is a great free online course on x-ray interpretation by Heidi Gable DCR(R) PgCert from the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust. References[edit | edit source]
Which type of radiation is used to make images of bones inside the body?X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, similar to visible light. Unlike light, however, x-rays have higher energy and can pass through most objects, including the body. Medical x-rays are used to generate images of tissues and structures inside the body.
Which one is used to photograph bones?An X-ray study (also called a radiograph) is a type of medical imaging (radiology) that creates pictures of your bones and soft tissues, such as organs. X-rays use safe amounts of radiation to make these pictures. The images help your provider to diagnose conditions and plan treatments.
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