What is attenuation of X-rays? Attenuation refers to the reduction in the intensity of an X-ray beam as it passes through matter. This reduction occurs because photons are either absorbed or scattered through interactions with atoms in the material. Attenuation…
What happens when X-rays interact with matter? When X-rays pass through matter, they may be transmitted, absorbed, or scattered. These interactions determine how much of the X-ray beam reaches the detector and therefore form the physical basis of radiographic image…
Why does increasing kVp reduce image contrast? Increasing tube voltage (kVp) reduces image contrast in radiography because higher-energy X-ray photons are more likely to undergo Compton scattering rather than the photoelectric effect. Compton interactions produce scattered radiation that reaches the…
What factors affect the X-ray spectrum? The X-ray spectrum describes the distribution of photon energies produced by an X-ray tube. Its shape and energy distribution are influenced by several factors, most importantly tube voltage (kVp), beam filtration, target material, and…
What is the half-value layer (HVL)? The half-value layer (HVL) is the thickness of a specified material required to reduce the intensity of an X-ray beam to half of its original value. It is commonly measured using aluminium for diagnostic…
What determines X-ray beam quality? Beam filtration refers to the removal of low-energy X-ray photons from the beam by placing absorbing material in the path of the X-rays. These low-energy photons are likely to be absorbed in the patient and…
What determines X-ray beam quality? X-ray beam quality refers to the penetrating ability of the X-ray beam, which is determined by the energy of the photons within the beam. A higher-quality beam contains higher-energy photons and is therefore more penetrating.…
What determines X-ray beam intensity? X-ray beam intensity refers to the quantity of X-ray photons in the beam and is usually measured as radiation exposure or air kerma at a given distance from the source. The intensity of an X-ray…
What is the X-ray spectrum? The X-ray spectrum describes the range and distribution of photon energies produced by an X-ray tube during an exposure. Rather than producing photons of a single energy, an X-ray tube generates photons across a broad…
Why does increasing SID improve spatial resolution? Increasing the source-to-image distance (SID) improves spatial resolution because it reduces geometric unsharpness caused by the finite size of the focal spot. When the X-ray source is further away, the beam becomes more…
