Rad 1125 CORRECT QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS
Radiolucent - ANSWER In the spectrum of radio densities into which different materials fall, those that
allow x-rays through are Radiolucent & appear black or near black on the x-ray. (Radio- "Ray,Beam";
Lucent - "Shining"
-a substance that allows x-rays to pass through and appears black or dark gray on the resulting film
EX: AIR is the Most Radiolucent
Radioopaque - ANSWER In the spectrum of radio densities into which different materials fall, those that
block most x-rays are Radioopaque & appear white. (Radio- "Ray,Beam"; Opaque- "Darkened" or not
able to be seen through/not transparent.)
- light or white- radiopaque structures are dense and resist the passage of x ray beams (block or absorb)
EX: METAL is the Most Radioopaque, BONE is the second most Radioopaque
Factors which will determine shadow brightness on the x-ray image - ANSWER Density
Thickness
Duration of exposure
-there's a spectrum of radio densities into which different materials fall. Four medical x-rays there are
essentially four classes of material, air which is the most radiolucent, next fluid and soft tissue, then
bone and finally metal, which is the most Radioopaque.
Thickness (on the image) - ANSWER example: take a single relatively thin glass of water and expose it to
x-rays, most will pass through resulting in a very dark image on the film. If instead of one glass of water,
we line up two glasses in a row and shoot x-rays through both, twice as many will be blocked where the
resulting image would be more gray b/c a specific part of the film corresponding to the shadow of the
glasses have been relatively less exposed. Finally if we shoot x-rays through three glasses of water, the
image of the glass will be brighter still or less dark. SO THE THICKER THE STRUCTURE THE BRIGHTER IT
WILL APPEAR OF THE X-RAY FILM.
ANSWERS
Radiolucent - ANSWER In the spectrum of radio densities into which different materials fall, those that
allow x-rays through are Radiolucent & appear black or near black on the x-ray. (Radio- "Ray,Beam";
Lucent - "Shining"
-a substance that allows x-rays to pass through and appears black or dark gray on the resulting film
EX: AIR is the Most Radiolucent
Radioopaque - ANSWER In the spectrum of radio densities into which different materials fall, those that
block most x-rays are Radioopaque & appear white. (Radio- "Ray,Beam"; Opaque- "Darkened" or not
able to be seen through/not transparent.)
- light or white- radiopaque structures are dense and resist the passage of x ray beams (block or absorb)
EX: METAL is the Most Radioopaque, BONE is the second most Radioopaque
Factors which will determine shadow brightness on the x-ray image - ANSWER Density
Thickness
Duration of exposure
-there's a spectrum of radio densities into which different materials fall. Four medical x-rays there are
essentially four classes of material, air which is the most radiolucent, next fluid and soft tissue, then
bone and finally metal, which is the most Radioopaque.
Thickness (on the image) - ANSWER example: take a single relatively thin glass of water and expose it to
x-rays, most will pass through resulting in a very dark image on the film. If instead of one glass of water,
we line up two glasses in a row and shoot x-rays through both, twice as many will be blocked where the
resulting image would be more gray b/c a specific part of the film corresponding to the shadow of the
glasses have been relatively less exposed. Finally if we shoot x-rays through three glasses of water, the
image of the glass will be brighter still or less dark. SO THE THICKER THE STRUCTURE THE BRIGHTER IT
WILL APPEAR OF THE X-RAY FILM.
