X-rays are a form of energy that travels in waves. The waves of electromagnetic radiation are used to create images of structures. Typically used by the medical profession to take pictures of organs, bones and tissues for diagnosis, X-rays are now used for many other purposes as well, including national security, studying ancient paintings and reading fragile scrolls.
Function
X-rays are used by doctors to make pictures of internal parts of the body for diagnosis. They can show broken bones, infections and cancer. They can also help medical professionals place tubes in the correct area and assist with other procedures. There are many kinds of X-ray procedures, and you need to follow your doctor's instructions before having your procedure. This may include fasting, drinking water, being injected with dye to emphasize the area being filmed and eliminating use of deodorant or lotion.
Features
Dentists rely on X-rays to keep their patients' teeth healthy. Dental X-rays can show decay between teeth or under fillings, find cracks in fillings, show bone loss and infection and tell the dentist how teeth are developing. Diseases such as lymphoma and cancer can be found by using X-rays, and they can help the dentist with dentures and tooth implants.
Identification
The criminal justice system has used dental and other X-rays for some time to identify unknown crime victims. In recent years, X-rays have been used by national security forces, particularly in airports, to examine the contents of luggage and other items that could contain dangerous substances. Court houses, jails and hospitals also use X-ray machines to search for metal objects that could be weapons, and many schools have begun using them to prevent students from bringing weapons into the building.
Potential
X-rays are being used to identify the elements of paintings done by the masters to find out what kind of pigment was used. They help to determine the age of paintings, whether they are genuine or copies and how the pigments change over time. To properly clean, care for and conserve paintings, X-ray examinations provide useful information.
Benefits
British scientist are using powerful X-rays to read parchments that would fall apart if unrolled, including National Archive documents, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Torah, classical musical scores and other documents that date back hundreds or thousands of years. Because the ink that was used to write on parchment contained iron, an X-ray image of the writing creates a shadow. When many scans are taken and the information is unscrambled by a computer, the resulting text is fairly accurate.
Tags: national security, that could, X-rays used
