The Vital role of X-rays in Medicine
- Medicine Community & Research
- Jul 26, 2024
- 5 min read
By Meera Shanmugam
By Harley Raethel from Unsplash
Introduction:
It is likely in your lifetime you have been scanned by an X-ray machine, whether it was for a broken bone or a check-up. X-rays were first discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1895, who discovered and figured out how to create electromagnetic waves, or X-rays. These waves have a big impact on many fields and have led to many different discoveries.
How it works:
X-ray imaging is a tool that allows electromagnetic radiation. This radiation is like normal light except it has shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies, giving it the ability to go through many different materials like the human body. To create an X-ray, you need to have an X-ray tube. This tube contains many electrons that are launched towards a metal target and gain lots of energy. When the electrons suddenly lose this energy they create the rays. Using this method, we are able to capture images of the internal structures based on the tissue's different absorption rates using X-rays. This is because X-rays can either be absorbed, transmitted, or scattered.For example, calcium has a high absorption rate and our bones have lots of calcium, so they are able to absorb the rays more than the rest of our tissues. This is why bones appear more distinct than many other parts of our body.
Uses of X-rays:
Imaging Bones:
One of the most common uses of X-rays is in imaging bone structures, especially looking into fractures, dislocations, and other bone-related problems. When an X-ray beam goes through the body, it is absorbed by dense materials like bones, but goes straight through any cracks or breaks. This provides a clear image on the problem and precisely where it is located.
Dental Imaging:
In dentistry, X-rays are very useful in helping to diagnose oral health issues. Dental X-rays help detect cavities, monitor tooth growth, and assess bone health. There are different types of dental X-rays that are used such as:bitewing, periapical, and panoramic. Each of these have a different purpose due to the area of the mouth that they focus on and the view they provide to the dentist. These images are very important when planning treatments like fillings, root canals, and dental implants.
Chest X-rays:
Chest X-rays are important for diagnosing respiratory and cardiac issues. They can reveal if there is pneumonia, tuberculosis, lung cancer, or other pulmonary diseases present. Additionally, chest X-rays can check the heart size and detect conditions like congestive heart failure or if there is a possibility for heart attack. This is useful because it is non-invasive and we can view the heart without having to go through surgery.
Mammography:
Mammography is a specific form of X-ray imaging that is used for detecting breast cancer early. Mammography provides clear images of breast tissues so we can identify tumors or problems that couldn’t be identified through just normal check ups. Detecting diseases like cancer early can lead to more success in removing the tumor and decrease mortality rates significantly.
Fluoroscopy:
Fluoroscopy is a technique that uses X-rays to capture live, moving images inside of the body. It is used in procedures like catheter insertions, joint injections, and gastrointestinal studies because it allows us to look at the realtime effects of the procedures and how the body's internal organs are responding to it.
Radiation Therapy:
While most people believe X-rays can only be used to capture images they can also be used to cure diseases, especially in oncology. Radiotherapy targets the X-ray waves to destroy cancer cells. This treatment is able to shrink tumors and concontrol trolling the spread of cancer in a less invasive way. External beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy are some of the common treatments that use radiation waves.
Pain Control:
X-rays can also be used to reduce pai. This is because it allows for more specific delivery of corticosteroids and anesthetics to areas that hurt, like the joints or the spine. The name of this procedure is called the fluoroscopy-guided injections, and is especially good at curing chronic pains like arthritis and back pain.
Safety and Risks Associated with X-rays:
Even though X-rays have so many benefits, they come with risks people should be aware of. One of the biggest issues is the exposure to ionizing radiation, which could damage living tissues and increase the risk of cancer. However, there are many safety protocols to lower these risks.
Radiation Exposure Limits:
Radiation exposure from medical X-rays is normally low and considered safe unless overused. The amount of radiation that is allowed depends on X-ray and the body part that is exposed to it. For example, to get an X-ray of your teeth, a lot less radiation is needed when compared to a chest X-ray. Even so, exposure to radiation should be controlled and only used when necessary.
Protection:
As another layer of protection, when patients are exposed to radiation they are required to use equipment like lead aprons and shields to protect the body. They also use as little exposure time as possible and as little radiation as possible. The creation of digital X-rays have reduced radiation exposure even more by creating images with even less radiation.
Regulatory Rules:
Companies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the International Commission on Radiological Protection have guidelines and laws on the use of X-rays. These rules ensure that the use of radiation is only used sparingly and when actually required.
Advances in X-rays
X-rays have had huge advancements in the last decade, making radiation more accurate and safe. Digital radiography is now being used more than old film-based X-rays, which has many benefits like faster image processing, better image quality, and lower radiation doses. These digital images are also easier to store and analyze.
Computed Tomography:
Computed Tomography (CT) scans are a modern adaption of regular X-rays. CT scans use X-ray images taken from different angles and can create cross-sectional images of the entire body. These detailed images help to give an even clearer view of internal organs, blood vessels, and tissues and help doctors diagnose problems throughout the whole body easier.
Cone Beam CT:
Cone Beam CT is a specific type of CT scan that is mainly used by dentists. They give high quality, 3D images of the teeth, jaw, and facial bones that can be helpful in deciding procedures like braces or facial surgery. Cone Beam CT also uses lower radiation than regular CT’s, which allow it to be used multiple times without as much damage.
Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry:
Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry is another type of X-ray that is used to figure out the bones mineral density and diagnose osteoporosis. This method uses two different X-rays to see the difference between bone and soft tissue, which gives even more detail about bone health. It can also identify fractures and weak bones earlier which can help with more effective treatments.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, X-rays are extremely important to medicine. From diagnosing fractures and dental issues to detecting and curing cancers, they have so many uses and beneficial applications. Even though there are concerns about the amount of radiation exposure, advancements in technology and strict safety rules have made X-rays safer and an extremely valuable tool in healthcare. As we keep learning more about radiation, X-rays still have a big potential to improve medical diagnostics, treatment, and patient results.
MCR committee: Biomedical-engineering
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