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Why does an MRI show that an X-ray or CT scan can t?
An MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, uses a powerful magnet to pass radio waves through the body. Protons in the body react to the energy and create highly detailed pictures of the body’s structures, including soft tissues, nerves and blood vessels. Unlike X-rays and CT scans, MRIs don’t use any radiation.
How do X-rays produce images of broken bones?
As the X-ray enters your body, it passes through your skin, muscles, and organs, as this type of soft tissue cannot absorb the energy of the X-ray. However, bone absorbs X-ray energy and does not expose the film. This area appears light or white on the film. This is how an X-ray image is created!
How do X-rays produce images?
Today’s x-ray machines produce a stream of electromagnetic radiation that interacts with an anode in an x-ray tube. When x-rays come into contact with our body tissues, they produce an image on a metal film. Soft tissue, such as skin and organs, cannot absorb the high-energy rays, and the beam passes through them.
How do X-rays use electromagnetic radiation?
X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation similar to radio waves, microwaves, visible light and gamma rays. X-ray photons are highly energetic and have enough energy to break up molecules and hence damage living cells. When X-rays hit a material some are absorbed and others pass through.
Do MRI scans produce radiation?
When people ask about MRI and radiation, they typically want to know if MRI produces radiation in the same way that X-ray imaging or CT scans produce radiation. Unlike X-rays and computed topography, MRI scans do not expose the patient to ionizing radiation.
How are X-rays used in medical imaging?
Medical x-rays are used to generate images of tissues and structures inside the body. If x-rays travelling through the body also pass through an x-ray detector on the other side of the patient, an image will be formed that represents the “shadows” formed by the objects inside the body.
What happens when an X-ray travels through the body?
If x-rays travelling through the body also pass through an x-ray detector on the other side of the patient, an image will be formed that represents the “shadows” formed by the objects inside the body.
Are there any risks associated with X-ray imaging?
As in many areas of medicine, there are risks associated with the use of x-ray imaging, which uses ionizing radiation to create images of the body. Because the amount of radiation used in a normal x-ray procedure is small, there is a small risk for the patient.