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X-ray
(redirected from x-rays)

    Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.02 sec.

X-ray

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An X-ray tube. Electrons “boil” off the cathode when the filament is heated by a …
(credit: © Merriam-Webster Inc.)
Electromagnetic radiation of extremely short wavelength (100 nanometres to 0.001 nanometre) produced by the deceleration of charged particles or the transitions of electrons in atoms. X-rays travel at the speed of light and exhibit phenomena associated with waves, but experiments indicate that they can also behave like particles (see wave-particle duality). On the electromagnetic spectrum, they lie between gamma rays and ultraviolet radiation. They were discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, who named them X-rays for their unknown nature. They are used in medicine to diagnose bone fractures, dental cavities, and cancer; to locate foreign objects in the body; and to stop the spread of malignant tumours. In industry, they are used to analyze and detect flaws in structures.
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Senior emergency physicians oversaw the process of ordering X-rays and completed an evaluation form for each request made.
A nurse-initiated ED X-ray program by Gerdtz, Marie / Australian Nursing Journal
The article hypothesizes that the dental X-rays hitting the thyroid glands of pregnant women affect birth outcomes.
Tooth truth? by Wolf, Eric / Science News
But since prolonged exposure to X-rays can damage living cells in humans (thick lead shields are used to protect machine operators), the process is controversial.
America on alert. (Bacteria/Irradiation) by Dyer, Nicole / Science World
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