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☆INDEX
Sr no Topic Page no
1 Definition of X-Rays 3
2 Discovery of X-rays 4
3 Properties of X-rays 5
4 Medical applications 9
5 Types of uses of X-rays in 12
medical ways
6 Characteristic Radiation 15
7 Bremsstrahlung Radiation 17
8 X-rays tube 19
 ☆ DEFINITION
• X-rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation,
similar to visible light but with much higher energy.

• This allows them to pass through many materials that

visible light cannot, including human tissue.

• This property makes X-rays a valuable tool in medical

imaging, where they are used to create pictures of the
inside of the body.

X-rays are used to diagnose a variety of medical conditions,

including broken bones, infections, and tumors. They are also
used in some medical procedures, such as angioplasty and
radiation therapy.
 ☆DISCOVERY OF X-RAYS

• The discovery of X-rays is credited to German

physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in 1895.

• Röntgen was experimenting with cathode-ray

tubes when he observed a strange phenomenon: a
fluorescent glow emanating from a coated plate
even though it was covered in black paper and
outside the direct path of the cathode rays.

Through further investigation, Röntgen realized he had

discovered a new type of radiation that could pass
through some materials but not others. He called this
radiation “X-rays” to denote their unknown nature.
 ☆PROPERTY’S OF X-RAYS
X-rays possess several unique properties that make
them valuable for various applications, particularly in
medical imaging. Here are some key properties of X-
rays:

• Short Wavelength: Compared to visible light, X-

rays have a significantly shorter wavelength,
enabling them to penetrate through denser
materials like bones and tissues.

• High Energy: Due to their short wavelength, X-rays

carry high energy, allowing them to interact with
and ionize atoms within materials.

• Invisible: X-rays are invisible to the naked eye. This

necessitates the use of special detectors, such as
photographic film or fluorescent screens, to
convert them into visible images.
• Straight Line Travel: Like most forms of radiation,
X-rays travel in straight lines until they interact
with matter.

• Penetration: The ability of X-rays to penetrate

various materials depends on the material’s
density and atomic number. Denser materials with
higher atomic numbers tend to absorb X-rays
more effectively, while less dense materials allow
X-rays to pass through more easily. This property
allows X-rays to create detailed images of internal
body structures since bones absorb X-rays to a
greater extent compared to soft tissues.

• Ionization: X-rays have sufficient energy to knock

out electrons from atoms, resulting in ionization.
This property is utilized in X-ray detectors, where
the ionization process creates electrical signals
that can be translated into an image.
• X-rays have wavelengths ranging from about 10^-8 to
10^-12 meters.

• Their corresponding frequencies are from about 10^16

to 10^20 hertz (Hz).

• Unlike visible light, X-rays can pass through most

objects, including biological tissue.

• X-rays are commonly produced by accelerating or

decelerating charged particles, such as electrons striking
 a metal plate in an X-ray tube or circulating electrons in
a synchrotron particle accelerator.

• Highly excited atoms can also emit X-rays with discrete

wavelengths characteristic of energy level spacings in
the atoms
 ☆ MEDICAL APPLICATION OF X-RAYS

X-rays are a fundamental tool in modern medicine,

offering a safe and painless way to examine the interior
of the body. Their applications encompass a wide
range of diagnostic procedures:

• Fracture Diagnosis: X-rays are the go-to imaging

technique for detecting fractures in bones. The
denser bones absorb more X-rays, appearing white
on the image, while fractures disrupt this pattern
and show up as dark lines.

• Joint Imaging: X-rays can help visualize joints,

revealing issues like arthritis, joint misalignment,
or presence of foreign objects.

• Chest X-rays: These X-rays provide a

comprehensive view of the chest cavity, aiding in
diagnosing conditions like pneumonia, lung
infections, or abnormalities in the heart, aorta,
and ribs.
• Abdominal X-rays: Helpful in examining the
abdomen for potential problems such as
appendicitis, bowel obstructions, or kidney stones.

• Dental X-rays: Essential for dental examinations,

allowing dentists to detect cavities, tooth decay,
abscesses, and other dental issues.

• Fluoroscopy: A real-time X-ray imaging technique

that enables visualization of moving structures. It’s
used in procedures like fluoroscopy-guided
injections or examining the digestive system with a
barium swallow.

• Cancer Detection: While not always the primary

tool, X-rays can sometimes aid in the detection of
tumors or masses in the bones or lungs.
 ☆TYPES OF USES OF X -RAYS
• Plain X-ray (radiography): This is the most
common type of X-ray. It produces a single still
image of bones and some soft tissues. Plain X-rays
are used to diagnose broken bones, infections,
arthritis, and other conditions.

• Fluoroscopy: This type of X-ray uses a continuous

beam of X-rays to create a moving image.
Fluoroscopy is often used to examine the digestive
system, such as when you swallow a barium
milkshake. It can also be used to guide other
procedures, such as inserting a catheter.
• Computed tomography (CT scan):A CT scan is a
special type of X-ray that uses a computer to
create detailed cross-sectional images of the body.
CT scans can be used to image any part of the
body, and they are often used to diagnose cancer,
heart disease, and other conditions.

• Mammography: A mammogram is an X-ray of the

breast that is used to screen for breast cancer.
Mammography can detect changes in breast tissue
that may be too small to feel.
• Angiography: An angiogram is an X-ray of the
blood vessels. It is used to diagnose blockages,
narrowing, or other abnormalities in the blood
vessels.
 ☆about characteristic X-ray

• Characteristic and radiation arise from the

interaction of energetic electrons with atoms:

Characteristic Radiation:
• Inner-shell electron is ejected by incoming
radiation or particle impact.

• Outer electron fills the vacancy, emitting a

characteristic X-ray photon.

• Energy of the X-ray is specific to the atom

(element).

• Emitted by atoms when an inner-shell electron is

excited and then relaxes by emitting a photon.

• The energy of the emitted photon is characteristic

of the atom, corresponding to the energy
difference between the electron’s initial and final
energy levels.
• Applications in X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for
elemental analysis and medical imaging.
 ☆About bremsstrahlung X-ray

Bremsstrahlung Radiation:
• Energetic electron decelerates near an atomic
nucleus.

• Kinetic energy is converted into a photon (X-ray or

gamma ray) with a continuous range of energies.

• Produced when a charged particle (usually an

electron) decelerates in the Coulomb field of an
atomic nucleus.

• The emitted photon has a continuous spectrum of

energies, ranging from zero up to the maximum
kinetic energy of the incident particle.

• Applications in electron microscopes and

synchrotrons for generating high-energy radiation.
 ☆ X-RAY TUBE

• An X-ray tube is a device that converts electrical

energy into X-rays.
• These X-rays are a form of electromagnetic
radiation with high energy and short wavelengths.
They are able to pass through many materials,
including human tissue.
• This is why X-ray tubes are used in medical
imaging to create pictures of bones and other
internal organs.

X-ray tubes are made of glass and metal and have a

vacuum inside. They contain two main parts:

• A cathode, which is a heated filament that emits

electrons.
• An anode, which is a metal plate that the electrons
are accelerated towards.
When the X-ray tube is turned on, the cathode is
heated by an electric current. This causes electrons to
be emitted from the cathode into the vacuum. The
electrons are then accelerated towards the anode by a
high voltage applied between the cathode and anode.
When the electrons strike the anode, they are
decelerated. This deceleration of the electrons causes
them to emit X-rays. The energy of the X-rays is
determined by the voltage applied between the
cathode and anode.