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The interaction between x-ray photons and matter illustrated in Figure 4-22 is most likely to be associated with

1. high kilovoltage
2. high contrast
3. high-atomic-number absorber
Answer:
high kilovoltage

User Bman
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

High kilovoltage in x-ray photons is associated with increased occurrence of the Compton effect and the production of characteristic x-rays from heavy elements like tungsten, which requires significant accelerating voltage for high energy photons.

Step-by-step explanation:

The interaction between x-ray photons and matter that involves the scattering from an outer electron shell of the atom is most associated with high kilovoltage. With increasing x-ray energy, the Compton effect becomes more prominent and chemical composition characterized by atomic number Z matters less in attenuation. While high-kilovoltage x-rays are necessary to produce characteristic x-rays, as with tungsten anodes in x-ray tubes requiring at least 72.5 kV, these higher energy x-rays result in less contrast than low-energy x-rays. This is due to greater absorption in thicker materials and less scattering compared to high-contrast images obtained from low-energy x-rays.

In medical imaging, substances with large atomic numbers, like barium or iodine, are sometimes injected to create greater contrast and better visualize structures such as the gastrointestinal tract. X-ray production and their interaction with matter, such as the Compton effect and characteristic x-rays, demonstrate principles of quantum mechanics and the relation between photon energy, atomic numbers, and accelerating voltage.

User RealPT
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