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Radioology Vocab
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ALARA | “as low as reasonably achievable” |
| ampere | A unit of electric current |
| atom | basic unit of matter |
| bremsstrahlung radiation | “braking radiation”; the sudden deceleration of electrons as they interact with highly positively charged nuclei |
| cathode | negative electrode in the x-ray tube |
| central ray | x-rays at the center of the beam |
| contrast | differences in degrees of blackness on an image |
| control panel | portion of the x-ray unit that contains the master switch, the indicator light, the selector buttons, and the exposure button |
| density | overall darkness or blackness of an image |
| dental radiography | process of recording images of the teeth and adjacent structures by exposure to x-radiation |
| digital imaging | filmless method of capturing an image and displaying it by using an image receptor, an electronic signal, and a computer to process and store the image |
| distortion | change in the size of an image caused by incorrect vertical angulation |
| dose | amount of energy absorbed by tissues |
| dosimeter | device used to detect and measure an accumulated dosage of radiation |
| electron | negatively charged particle in the atom |
| energy | ability to do work |
| extension arm | flexible arm that is attached to the x-ray tubehead |
| genetic effects | effects of radiation that are passed on to future generations through genetic cells |
| image | film-based or digitally produced recordings of anatomic structures |
| image receptor | recording medium for an image, normally film, phosphor storage plate, or a digital sensor |
| intensity | total energy of the x-ray beam |
| ion | electrically charged particle |
| ionization | process by which electrons are removed from atoms, causing the harmful effects of radiation in humans |
| ionizing radiation | radiation that produces ionization, resulting in harmful effects |
| kVp | highest voltage of x-ray tube used during an exposure |
| latent period | time between exposure to ionizing radiation and appearance of symptoms |
| lead apron | device used to protect the reproductive and blood-forming tissues from scatter radiation |
| magnification | proportional enlargement of an image |