X-ray

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X-rays use invisible, electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones and organs on film or digital media. These standard radiation imaging procedures are performed for many medical reasons, including diagnosing tumors or bone injuries within the body. X-ray technology is used in many types of diagnostic imaging procedures, such as arteriograms, computed tomography (CT) scans and fluoroscopy.

During an X-ray exam, different parts of the body allow varying amounts of radiation to pass through:

• Soft tissues in the body (such as blood, skin, fat and muscle) allow most of the X-ray to pass through and appear dark gray on the imaging medium.
• A bone or a tumor, which is denser than soft tissue, allows only a few of the X-rays to pass through and appears white on the X-ray. At a break in a bone, the X-ray beam passes through the broken area and the result within the image is a dark line in the white.