1/18/17 Lecture #2 How Xrays are produced Flashcards
What seven items make up the tube head of an X-Ray machine?
- Metal housing
- Power supply (transformer)
- X-ray tube
- Oil
- Collimator (lead lined)
- Aluminum filters
- Aiming cylinder (lead lined)
What is Bremsstrahlung X-rays?
-“Braking Radiation”
If the incident electron runs directly into the nucleus what type of energy is produced?
-Maximum energy
If the incident electron goes past the nucleus at a distance and does a slight turn what type of energy is produced?
-Low energy
If the incident electron goes closely past the nucleus and does a sharp turn what type of energy is produced?
-Moderate energy
If you have a 70kVP tube head what is the maximum energy x-ray that you can produce?
70 keV
What is characteristic radiation?
-When a high speed electron collides with an orbiting inner ring electron ejecting it from the orbit.
What happens when an electron is bumped out from an inner ring?
-An electron from the next energy ring jumps to fill the void
When an electron jumps from an energy ring down to the next one what occurs?
-A photon of energy equal to the difference in binding energy between the rings is released
Why is it called characteristic radiation?
-It is the energy given up that is “characteristic” for that target atom
What kV number corresponds with characteristic radiation from Tungsten?
59 keV
An incident electron directly striking a tungsten nucleus produces what?
-Maximum energy Bremsstrahlung radiation
Cathode or Anode: A tungsten filament and molybdenum focusing cup provide the source and direction of electrons of the cathode ray.
Cathode
Cathode or Anode: The tungsten target and copper stem convert the kinetic energy of the electron stream of photons to x-rays and heat
Anode
Is the anode or cathode (+) charged in an X-ray rube?
-Anode
Why do you use a vacuum tube in an x-ray tube?
- So there are no gas molecules for electrons to collide with
- No oxidation or “burnout” of filament
Why is the molybdenum focusing place in a cup shape?
-It electrostatically focuses the electrons into a narrow beam
What are four important characteristics of the target in an x-ray tube?
- High atomic number
- high melting point
- High thermal conductivity
- Low vapor pressure
What is the point on the target where the stream of x-ray photons originate in an x-ray tube?
-Focal spot
Why do you place the target at an angle?
-Provides a smaller effective focal spot for sharp images while maintaining a larger actual focal spot for heat dissipation
A molybdenum focusing cup in an x-ray tube:
A) narrows the beam of electrons
B) Is located in the cathode
C) Directs electrons toward the tungsten target
D) all of the above
D) All of the above
What power supply heats the tube filament and generates a stream of electrons between the cathode and anode?
-Low voltage tube current