X-Ray – Radiation for the Benefit of Humans

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Table of Contents

Introduction
How X-Rays Work
Uses of X-Rays
Conclusion
References

Introduction

X-ray is one of the inventions that demonstrate the achievements made by man with regards to technological advancement. The devices that use this technology have lens that can see beyond what human eyes can see. For instance, somebody who has had an internal injury would not notice that he/she has any internal bleeding unless x-ray is employed in the diagnosis procedures. This technology is used in very many fields, and this paper will shed light on how it works and how it has advanced.

How X-Rays Work

According to Burnett and Munro (2005), the x-rays were discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1895, but then the discovery came by default because this he was just carrying out experiments as usual. This particular experiment revolved around his wife’s hand, but he had done the experiment previously using his hand hence this one was just for confirmation purposes. He took a shot of his wife’s hand and the image that was captured was quite amazing because he was able to see the bones and the wedding ring. What puzzled him the most was the fact that he could not see the flesh, but that was the start of x-ray technology.

X-ray uses electromagnetic radiation, which is derived from the ejection of electrons that are placed in a tunnel inside the device. There are blocks of energy that are formed during the ejections and they are called photons, and they are the ones that form the rays. The electrons are ejected towards a metallic object and their impact upon hitting the object is what creates the radiations. The x-rays have short wavelengths and that is why they have more energy. When an object is observed through x-ray, the detectors interpret the image by identifying the photons of light emitted by the device.

The radiations emitted by the x-ray machines that are used in hospitals and other places are artificial because naturally there are many sources of electromagnetic radiations. Among the natural sources of electromagnetic radiations include the sun, stars, and comets. However, the earth is protected from these radiations by the ozone layer, in addition to its thickness. The radiations that land on earth are not harmful, but long term exposure can be disastrous because the radiations are perceived to cause skin cancer in humans.

Brenner (2010) argues that if humans’ eyes were to be like x-rays, we would not recognize any color or clothes because in such a view one can only see the flesh and the bones. This means that human vision is much better than x-ray’s because we can notice things by their distinct colors. X-rays can not be seen without an x-ray sensitive film that has to be placed below or inside the object that is observed. For instance, when the doctor is diagnosing a broken limb using the x-ray, the film has to be placed on one side of the limb for the image to be captured.

This is because x-rays are electromagnetic radiations that travel just like light, but these are strong because they can penetrate deep into the skin. The focus of the x-ray machine is then directed towards the area that the doctor is interested in and during this time the radiations are ejected from the machine. Consequently, the radiations go through the skin and this is when the image is captured. In the image, one cannot see the radiations and neither can they be felt during diagnosis.

The x-ray is however limited by the bones because the rays cannot penetrate through the bones and thus, they are taken in by the bone. This means that the x-ray can only capture the image of only one side, and if the images are required from different angles, say front and the rear, they have to be taken at different intervals. Likewise, when one is about to be observed, he/she is requested to remove any metallic objects such as jewelry because they distort the image by absorbing the radiations and thus, the image does not capture the intended object. The good thing about x-rays is that they can capture the shadow in the image, but the shadow does not distort the image in any way.

Uses of X-Rays

X-rays are applied in many areas, but the most common field is medicine. Before the invention of x-ray machines, doctors were having trouble in diagnosing disorders that are inside the body, such as dislocated joints and bones. They had to carry out surgeries so that they could see for themselves. The procedure took more time and was even painful to the patient. Sometimes, the surgeries did not help in finding the source of the problem, but all that is history because today an x-ray only takes a few minutes to be completed. Currently, the surgeons are in praise of x-rays because it is an informative tool to them; they know where the operation should target, which makes the task a little bit easier (Brenner, 2010).

Additionally, the discovery of x-ray has contributed positively to advancement in medicine. This is because it has helped to reduce cases of patient mortality, unlike before. After all, the doctors can identify what the patient is suffering from faster and thus, take an affirmative action before it is too late. For instance, an illness like tuberculosis is diagnosed within two minutes by taking a picture of the patient’s chest. Today the technology has been advanced further and expectant mothers can tell the sex of the baby in their womb by going through a scan procedure. However, some practitioners do not disclose the gender of the baby to the couple or the woman because there have been many cases where the woman aborted the baby if she found out that it is not of her preferred gender.

Similarly, x-rays are used in most exit and entry terminals as a security measure to help detect drugs that are in transit. In most airports passengers and their luggage are screened using x-rays before boarding the plane. This is because even if one swallowed something, it will still be captured by the x-ray machine. However, most passengers are against its use in screening because they feel uncomfortable. After all, the screening personnel can see their naked body and thus, they feel like it is similar to stripping. X-rays are also applied in astronomy by mounting the detectors on the satellites so that they can capture the emissions of radiations in the skies.

Donnelly (2005) explains that the x-rays that are used today are more advanced because they are modified to release small amount of radiation hence they are no longer hazardous as they used to be. In early days, x-rays would not be used on expectant mothers because the magnitude of radiation was very high such that it could lead to the death of the unborn baby.

In the days that followed the discovery of x-rays there were many cases of people who had inflamed skin due to being exposed to the radiations. However, x-rays were recommended for curing certain diseases after it was reported that some people who were suffering from skin cancer were healed by being exposed to the radiations. These happenings induced medical experts and scientists to do more research on x-rays, and today when we look back to where we have come from it’s certain that their efforts are fruitful and will continue to be so because further research is still in progress.

Currently, the x-ray machines are operated by professionals called radiographers. There are two categories of radiographers: radiologists and radiotherapists. A radiologist is a professional medical expert who analyzes the images captured by x-rays and treats the ailment according to the implications provided by the pictures. A radiotherapist on the other hand employs x-rays in treating ailments such as cancer. The therapist does this by exposing the cells that are in the patient’s blood to radiation, which in return kills them.

Furthermore, the demand for people with skills in radiography has increased because healthcare providers have realized that they can perform better by being informed, and this requires the use of x-rays. Radiography is one of the branches in the faculty of medicine and it has become so popular such that doctors who specialize in it have to obtain certification from its board. In countries like Britain, radiographers are monitored by the Royal College of Radiologist just to make sure they stick by the ethics of this profession (Donnelly, 2005).

Conclusion

X-ray machines are highly demanded in hospitals, but then they are very costly such that most healthcare facilities cannot afford them. This problem is more common in developing countries, especially in Africa. There are very few hospitals that have x-ray machines and in such a case, patients have to cover long distances just to get the pictures taken. Furthermore, the ones that are available charge very high prices hence most patients cannot afford the test. Developed countries like the US are benefiting from this technology because they have both the purchasing power and the manpower that is required to operate the equipments. Besides, the use of x-rays in treating ailments is not widely spread in poor countries because it is very expensive hence it is only the rich people who can afford to pay for such treatments.

References

Brenner, D. J. (2010). Should we be Concerned about the Rapid Increase in CT Usage? Rev Environ Health, 25(1), 63-68.

Burnett, S. & Munro, A. J. (2005). X-rays. Netdoctor. Web.

Donnelly, CF. (2005). Reducing Radiation Dose Associated with Pediatric CT by Decreasing Unnecessary Examination. American Journal Roentgenology, 32, 242-244.

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X-Ray – Radiation for the Benefit of Humans

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