X-Ray

X-ray imaging is perhaps the most familiar type of imaging. With an X-ray, beams of low-dose radiation are focused on an area of your body to produce a two-dimensional image.

Images produced by X-rays reflect the different absorption rates of different tissues.

• Calcium in bones absorbs X-rays the most, so bones look white on a film recording of the X-ray image (a "radiograph").
• Fat and other soft tissues absorb less x-rays. They look gray.
• Air absorbs the least amount of x-rays, so lungs look black on a radiograph.

The most familiar use of X-rays is checking for broken bones. X-rays are also used in cancer diagnosis.