Chapter 8 (X-Ray Production) Flashcards
What are the two main types of x-ray production?
Characteristic and Bremsstrahlung radiation.
What interaction occurs when an inner-shell electron is removed?
Characteristic radiation.
What interaction occurs when an electron slows down near the nucleus?
Bremsstrahlung radiation.
What is the primary source of diagnostic x-rays?
Bremsstrahlung radiation.
What is the binding energy of the K-shell in tungsten?
69.5 keV.
What does the x-ray emission spectrum represent?
The range of x-ray energies produced.
What happens to the spectrum if kVp is increased?
Shifts to higher energy.
How does added filtration affect the beam?
Increases energy, decreases intensity.
What percentage of electron energy is converted to x-rays?
1%.
What is the maximum energy of an x-ray photon?
Equal to the kVp setting.
What effect does increasing mAs have?
Increases the number of x-rays produced.
What does the half-value layer (HVL) measure?
Beam quality.
What happens when target atomic number increases?
More efficient x-ray production.
What does the continuous spectrum represent?
Bremsstrahlung radiation.
What does the discrete spectrum represent?
Characteristic radiation.
What is the minimum energy required for pair production?
1.02 MeV.
What happens to photon energy if wavelength decreases?
Energy increases.
What does increasing kVp do to contrast?
Reduces contrast.
What is beam hardening?
Increase in average energy due to filtration.
What is the best method to increase x-ray beam penetration?
Increase kVp.
