Chapter 3 - 1

Question 1

1. The device that receives the radiation leaving the patient is the:

a. central ray
b. differential absorption
c. image receptor
d. compensating filtration

Answer 1

Solution: c. image receptor

X-ray photons must pass through tissue and interact with an image receptor, a device that receives the radiation leaving the patient.
REF: p.43

Question 2

2. _____ results in the process of image formation, whereby the x-ray beam interacts with the anatomic tissue, and a portion of the beam passes through the part and strikes the image receptor.

a. Transference
b. Differential absorption
c. Molecular modeling
d. Compensating filtration

Answer 2

Solution: b. Differential absorption

The radiographic image is formed as a result of differential absorption; some of the x-ray beam is absorbed in tissue, and some is transmitted. This variation in beam exiting the part will represent the area being imaged.
REF: p.43

Question 3

3. _____ is the loss of some of the energy from the x-ray beam as it passes through the tissue being imaged.

a. Compensating filtration
b. Attenuation
c. Photon transmission
d. Photoelectric scattering

Answer 3

Solution: b. Attenuation

Attenuation is the loss of energy from the x-ray beam as it passes through tissue, due to interactions between the x-ray photons and the tissue.
REF: p.43

Question 4

4. The photoelectric effect involves the removal (ejection) of an electron. This process of removing an electron from an atom is known as:

a. attenuation
b. transmission
c. ionization
d. differential absorption

Answer 4

Solution: c. ionization

Question 5

5. When the x-ray photon travels completely through the part, that activity is called:

a. acceleration
b. attenuation
c. transmission
d. absorption

Answer 5

Solution: c. transmission

Transmission results when no interactions occur between the x-ray photon and tissue.
REF: p.49

Question 6

6. When the x-ray photon strikes an atom within the tissue being imaged and loses all of its energy to an inner shell electron of that atom, the photon is said to have been _____ and undergone the _____.

a. transmitted; Compton effect
b. absorbed; photoelectric interaction
c. attenuated; Compton effect
d. scattered; coherent interaction

Answer 6

Solution: b. absorbed; photoelectric interaction

During the photoelectric interaction, the incoming x-ray photon energy is absorbed, and an inner shell electron is ejected.
REF: p.44

Question 7

7. When the x-ray photon strikes an atom within the tissue being imaged and loses only part of its energy to an outer shell electron of that atom, the photon is said to have been _____ and undergone the _____.

a. transmitted; coherent effect
b. absorbed; photoelectric interaction
c. attenuated; photoelectric interaction
d. scattered; Compton interaction

Answer 7

Solution: d. scattered; Compton interaction

The Compton interaction involves the x-ray photon ejecting an outer shell electron, giving up some of its energy, and changing its path.
REF: p.45

Question 8

8. The interaction between x-ray photons and tissue that results in production of a secondary x-ray photon is the:

a. coherent interaction
b. Compton interaction
c. photoelectric interaction
d. characteristic interaction

Answer 8

Solution: c. photoelectric interaction

After the inner shell electron is ejected during the photoelectric interaction, the hole that is left is filled by upper level shell electrons, resulting in excess energy that results in a secondary photon.
REF: p.45

Question 9

9. When the entering x-ray photon loses energy and changes its path of travel as a result of interacting with an atom, the interaction is known as the:

a. compensating effect
b. photoelectric interaction
c. characteristic effect
d. Compton effect

Answer 9

Solution: d. Compton effect

The Compton effect involves the entering x-ray photon losing energy (as a result of ejecting an outer shell electron) and changing direction.
REF: p.45

Question 10

10. The probability of total photon absorption by the photoelectric effect depends on the:

a. energy of the incoming x-ray photon
b. energy of the ejected electron
c. atomic number of the anatomic tissue
d. A and C
e. B and C

Answer 10

Solution: d. A and C

The probability of total photon absorption by the photoelectric effect depends on the energy of the incoming x-ray photon and atomic number of the anatomic tissue.
REF: p.44

Question 11

11. The outer shell electron that is ejected during the Compton interaction is also known as a:

a. photoelectron
b. secondary electron
c. Compton electron
d. B and C

Answer 11

Solution: d. B and C

The electron that is ejected during the Compton interaction between an x-ray photon and an atom is also called a secondary or Compton electron.
REF: p.45

Question 12

12. The x-ray photon that is scattered as a result of the Compton effect cannot:

a. be absorbed in the tissue, resulting in additional patient exposure.
b. strike the image receptor and provide useful anatomic information.
c. strike the image receptor without providing useful information.
d. exit the patient, exposing persons near the patient.

Answer 12

Solution: b. strike the image receptor and provide useful anatomic information

The scattered photon can strike the image receptor, but it will not provide any useful anatomic information.
REF: p.45

Question 13

13. Interactions of high-energy X-rays (energies beyond the diagnostic range) with tissue include:

a. pair production
b. coherent scattering
c. photodisintegration
d. A and B
e. A and C

Answer 13

Solution: e. A and C

Both pair production and photodisintegration are interactions between X-rays and tissue that involve x-ray photons with energies higher than the diagnostic range.
REF: p.46

Question 14

14. Interactions of low-energy X-rays (energies below the diagnostic range) with tissue include:

a. pair production
b. coherent scattering
c. photodisintegration
d. A and B
e. A and C

Answer 14

Solution: b. coherent scattering

Coherent scattering occurs with very-low-energy X-rays and results in the incoming x-ray photon changing direction with no loss of energy.
REF: p.46

Question 15

15. The x-ray beam that leaves the patient in the direction of the image receptor is often referred to as:

a. primary radiation
b. remnant radiation
c. absorbed radiation
d. scattered radiation

Answer 15

Solution: b. remnant radiation

Remnant radiation, which consists of both transmitted and scatter radiation, exits the patient in the direction of the image receptor.
REF: p.49

Question 16

16. If scattered photons are absorbed within the anatomic tissue, they:

a. contribute to the radiation exposure of the patient.
b. do not contribute any useful information about the anatomic part of interest.
c. contribute useful information about the anatomic part of interest.
d. A and B
e. A and C

Answer 16

Solution: d. A and B

If a scattered photon strikes the image receptor, it will not provide any useful anatomic information and will increase the radiation exposure to the patient.
REF: p.46

Question 17

17. The amount of x-ray beam attenuation is affected by the:

a. thickness of the body part
b. atomic number of the atoms in the tissue
c. tissue density
d. energy of the x-ray beam
e. A and B only
f. all of the above

Answer 17

Solution: f. all of the above

The amount of x-ray beam attenuation is affected by the thickness of the anatomic part, the atomic number of the atoms contained within it, its tissue density, and the energy of the x-ray beam.
REF: p.47

Question 18

18. An increased part thickness results in:

a. increased beam attenuation
b. decreased beam attenuation
c. no effect on beam attenuation

Answer 18

Solution: a. increased beam attenuation

Increasing the thickness of a given anatomic tissue increases beam attenuation by either absorption or scattering.
REF: p.47

Question 19

19. A body tissue with an increased tissue density results in:

a. increased beam attenuation
b. decreased beam attenuation
c. no effect on beam attenuation

Answer 19

Solution: a. increased beam attenuation

Increasing the tissue density increases beam attenuation by either absorption or scattering.
REF: p.48

Question 20

20. Unwanted exposure to the IR due to scatter radiation is called:

a. latent
b. manifest
c. fog
d. cloudiness

Answer 20

Solution: c. fog

Fog is the result of scattered photons interacting with the image receptor; it is additional exposure without any useful information.
REF: p.50

Question 21

21. The ______ image occurs first on the image receptor, and the ______ image occurs following proper image development/processing.

a. manifest, latent
b. invisible, latent
c. visible, manifest
d. latent, manifest

Answer 21

Solution: d. latent, manifest

The latent (or invisible) image occurs first, and after processing, the manifest (visible) image appears.
REF: p.51

Question 22

22. At higher kilovoltage, ______ photon interactions occur, resulting in ______ transmission.

a. more, increased
b. more, less
c. fewer, increased
d. fewer, less

Answer 22

Solution: c. fewer, increased

At higher kilovoltage (energy), fewer photon interactions occur, resulting in more x-ray photons being transmitted.
REF: p.47

Question 23

23. Beam attenuation __________ with a higher-energy x-ray beam.

a. increases
b. decreases
c. stays the same

Answer 23

Solution: b. decreases

Beam attenuation decreases with a higher-energy x-ray beam and increases with a lower-energy x-ray beam.
REF: p.49

Question 24

24. Brightness/density is a quality related to the ______ of the radiographic image.

a. visibility of structures
b. accuracy of structural lines
c. spatial resolution
d. B and C

Answer 24

Solution: a. visibility of structures

Brightness/density is a quality related to the visibility of anatomic structures of the radiographic image.
REF: p.52

Question 25

25. Contrast is a quality related to the ____________ of the radiographic image. a. visibility of structures b. accuracy of structural lines c. spatial resolution d. B and C

Answer 25

Solution: a. visibility of structures Contrast is a quality related to the visibility of anatomic structures of the radiographic image. REF: p.52

Question 26

26. Muscle tissue absorbs more radiation than fat tissue because muscle tissue has a: a. higher atomic number b. lower atomic number c. higher tissue density d. lower tissue density

Answer 26

Solution: c. higher tissue density Muscle and fat tissues have similar atomic numbers. The reason the muscle tissue absorbs more radiation is due to its increased tissue density. REF: p.48

Question 27

27. The amount of luminance of a display monitor is: a. density b. image contrast c. brightness d. spatial resolution

Answer 27

Solution: c. brightness Brightness is the amount of luminance of a display monitor. REF: p.52

Question 28

28. The overall blackness on the processed film image is: a. density b. image contrast c. brightness d. spatial resolution

Answer 28

Solution: a. density Density is the overall blackness on the film image that has been chemically processed. REF: p.52

Question 29

29. Difference in the brightness levels or densities is: a. density b. image contrast c. brightness d. spatial resolution

Answer 29

Solution: b. image contrast Image contrast is the difference in brightness levels or densities in the radiographic image. REF: p.52

Question 30

30. An image that has excessive brightness or insufficient density is considered: a. diagnostic b. unacceptable c. acceptable d. excellent

Answer 30

Solution: b. unacceptable Excessive brightness or too little density means that the anatomy of interest cannot be seen; this image is unacceptable and must be repeated. REF: p.53

Question 31

31. Subject contrast is dependent on the: a. energy of the x-ray beam b. quantity of radiation used c. absorption characteristics of the tissue being imaged d. A and B e. A and C

Answer 31

Solution: e. A and C Subject contrast depends on the x-ray beam energy and the tissue characteristics. REF: p.54

Question 32

32. The number of shades of gray that can be displayed by a computer system is: a. scale of contrast b. short scale c. long scale d. gray scale

Answer 32

Solution: d. gray scale Gray scale is the term for the computer’s shades of gray that can be displayed. REF: p.55

Question 33

33. A radiographic image with a large number of similar densities that have small differences between them: a. appears gray b. has long scale contrast c. has low contrast d. all of the above

Answer 33

Solution: d. all of the above Low-contrast images display a greater number of gray shades but smaller differences among them. REF: p.55

Question 34

34. The ability of an image receptor to distinguish between objects with similar subject contrast is: a. temporal resolution b. spatial resolution c. contrast resolution d. none of the above

Answer 34

Solution: c. contrast resolution Contrast resolution is used to describe the IR’s ability to distinguish between objects having similar image contrast. REF: p.55