röntgenabsorptio

Röntgenabsorptio refers to the process by which X-rays are absorbed by a material. When X-rays pass through a substance, some of their energy is absorbed by the atoms and molecules within that substance. This absorption is dependent on the energy of the X-rays and the atomic composition of the material.

The extent of absorption is quantified by the linear attenuation coefficient, which describes how much the intensity of an X-ray beam decreases per unit of thickness of the material. Materials with higher atomic numbers and greater densities tend to absorb X-rays more effectively. For instance, bone, which contains calcium, absorbs X-rays much more readily than soft tissues like muscle or fat.

This phenomenon is the fundamental principle behind medical imaging techniques such as X-ray radiography and computed tomography (CT) scans. In these applications, X-rays are passed through the body, and the differential absorption by different tissues creates contrast in the resulting image, allowing for visualization of internal structures and the detection of abnormalities. Variations in X-ray absorption are detected by a sensor, and this information is processed to create a visual representation of the inside of an object or body.