Basics of X-ray and Mammographic Systems

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Make An X-Ray Exposure

View production of x-rays using tube


Bremsstrahlung


Characteristic X-Rays
  1. Electron from filament accelerated toward target by high positive voltage
  2. Interacts with target atom’s nucleus
    1. Electron slows losing kinetic energy in the form of a Bremsstrahlung x-ray photon
    2. Energy spectrum:
      1. 0 - peak kilovoltage (kVp) applied to x-ray tube
      2. Majority of x-ray photons are low energy & do not escape x-ray tube
  3. Electron exits atom with its energy reduced by that of the newly-formed Bremsstrahlung x-ray
  1. Electron from filament accelerated toward target by high positive voltage
  2. Removes inner shell electron of target atom
  3. Electron from higher shell of target atom falls to lower shell
  4. Characteristic x-ray emitted whose energy is the difference between the binding energies of the two shells
  5. Each target material (W, Mo, Rh) generates a unique combination of characteristic x-ray energies.

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