Meaghan Piretti Study Guide – Comprehensive Review Notes 2026-03-05
Meaghan Piretti Study Guide
– Comprehensive Review
Notes
Page 1 Guidehttps://www.stuvia.com/dashboard!@_)#*)(@$)($@*($@)($@*_ Meaghan Piretti Study Guide – Comprehensive Review Notes.pdf
,Meaghan Piretti Study Guide 2026-03-05
What side of the x-ray tube positive
Anode
What side of the x-ray tube is negative
Cathode
What is the role of the glass envelope
Containment and maintains the vacuum
What is the role of the tube housing
Prevents leakage and insulates
What end of the tube has the filament and focusing cup
Cathode
What are the types of anodes
Rotating and Stationary
What is the anode made of
Tungsten
Why is Tungsten the chosen material for the anode
Has a high atomic number meaning it has a high melting point
Page 2 Meaghan Piretti Study Guide.pdf
,Meaghan Piretti Study Guide 2026-03-05
Describe the induction motor
Stator on the outside and Rotor on the inside
What is a stator
Electric motor that turns the rotor at high speed
Rotating magnetic field when energized
What does the rotor do
Spins the anode allowing heat to be spread out across a larger area
What do the bearings of the induction motor do
Support and enables rotation
Define Anode heel effect
Variation in x-ray intensity between anode and cathode sides of the tube
What side of the x-ray tube has the more intense beam
Cathode
Why is the beam more intense on the cathode end
X-rays produced deeper within the anode must pass through more material
which absorbs some of the beam, the absorption reduces intensity on the
anode side
If the degree of anode angle decreases what will happen to the anode heel
effect
It increases, a smaller angle means x-rays have to travel through more
anode material to exit
Page 3 Meaghan Piretti Study Guide.pdf
, Meaghan Piretti Study Guide 2026-03-05
Define the line focus principle
Large Actual focal spot that spreads heat while maintaining a small effective
focal spot for better image detail
What is larger, the actual focal spot or effective
Actual
Where is the actual focal spot located
On the surface of the anode target
Which focal spot goes towards the pt, actual or effective
Effective
If you decrease anode angle (choose small focal spot) how will that affect
the effective focal spot size
It also decreases
Define off focus radiation
Radiation produced outside the actual focal spot which causes blurred edges
or ghost images
Define tube loading
The amount of heat energy generated in the x-ray tube during an exposure,
heat units
What is the formula for heat units
HU= kVp x mA x time (s) x wave form factor
Page 4 Meaghan Piretti Study Guide.pdf
Meaghan Piretti Study Guide
– Comprehensive Review
Notes
Page 1 Guidehttps://www.stuvia.com/dashboard!@_)#*)(@$)($@*($@)($@*_ Meaghan Piretti Study Guide – Comprehensive Review Notes.pdf
,Meaghan Piretti Study Guide 2026-03-05
What side of the x-ray tube positive
Anode
What side of the x-ray tube is negative
Cathode
What is the role of the glass envelope
Containment and maintains the vacuum
What is the role of the tube housing
Prevents leakage and insulates
What end of the tube has the filament and focusing cup
Cathode
What are the types of anodes
Rotating and Stationary
What is the anode made of
Tungsten
Why is Tungsten the chosen material for the anode
Has a high atomic number meaning it has a high melting point
Page 2 Meaghan Piretti Study Guide.pdf
,Meaghan Piretti Study Guide 2026-03-05
Describe the induction motor
Stator on the outside and Rotor on the inside
What is a stator
Electric motor that turns the rotor at high speed
Rotating magnetic field when energized
What does the rotor do
Spins the anode allowing heat to be spread out across a larger area
What do the bearings of the induction motor do
Support and enables rotation
Define Anode heel effect
Variation in x-ray intensity between anode and cathode sides of the tube
What side of the x-ray tube has the more intense beam
Cathode
Why is the beam more intense on the cathode end
X-rays produced deeper within the anode must pass through more material
which absorbs some of the beam, the absorption reduces intensity on the
anode side
If the degree of anode angle decreases what will happen to the anode heel
effect
It increases, a smaller angle means x-rays have to travel through more
anode material to exit
Page 3 Meaghan Piretti Study Guide.pdf
, Meaghan Piretti Study Guide 2026-03-05
Define the line focus principle
Large Actual focal spot that spreads heat while maintaining a small effective
focal spot for better image detail
What is larger, the actual focal spot or effective
Actual
Where is the actual focal spot located
On the surface of the anode target
Which focal spot goes towards the pt, actual or effective
Effective
If you decrease anode angle (choose small focal spot) how will that affect
the effective focal spot size
It also decreases
Define off focus radiation
Radiation produced outside the actual focal spot which causes blurred edges
or ghost images
Define tube loading
The amount of heat energy generated in the x-ray tube during an exposure,
heat units
What is the formula for heat units
HU= kVp x mA x time (s) x wave form factor
Page 4 Meaghan Piretti Study Guide.pdf
