RTE 1804 B Clinical Rotation I - Week 2 Exam Study Guide

This set of flashcards covers key concepts, definitions, and principles related to radiologic imaging, including measurements, atomic structure, types of radiation, imaging equipment, and exposure technique.

Roentgen's discovery

The discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1895.

Potential energy

Energy held by an object because of its position relative to other objects.

Kinetic energy

Energy that a body possesses by virtue of being in motion.

Coulomb

A unit of electric charge equal to the charge transported by a constant current of one ampere in one second.

Gray

A unit of absorbed radiation dose, representing the absorption of one joule of radiation energy by one kilogram of matter.

Sievert

A derived unit of measure for the health effect of ionizing radiation, taking into account the type of radiation absorbed.

Rem

A unit of dose equivalent radiation, representing the biological effect of radiation.

Becquerel

The SI unit of radioactivity, defined as one disintegration per second.

Atom

The smallest unit of an element that retains its chemical properties.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons.

Atomic number

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, defining the element.

Atomic mass

The weighted average mass of the isotopes of an element.

Nucleus of the atom

The central part of an atom, containing protons and neutrons.

Electromagnetic radiation

A form of energy that exhibits wave-like behavior as it travels through space.

Ionization

The process by which an atom or molecule acquires a negative or positive charge by gaining or losing electrons.

Frequency

The number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit time, typically measured in Hertz.

Direct Current (DC)

An electric current flowing in one direction only.

Alternating Current (AC)

An electric current that reverses direction periodically.

X-ray tube anode

The positive electrode in an X-ray tube, where X-rays are produced.

X-ray tube cathode

The negative electrode in an X-ray tube, responsible for producing electrons.

Bremsstrahlung radiation

Radiation produced when an electron is decelerated or deflected by the electric field of a charged nucleus.

HVL (Half-Value Layer)

The thickness of material needed to reduce the intensity of the radiation to half its original value.

Differential absorption

The varying degrees to which different tissues absorb radiation during imaging.

Quantum noise

Random fluctuations in the image that can obscure visual detail.

Film-screen imaging

A traditional method of capturing radiographic images using a film and intensifying screen.