Are you familiar with X-rays? Well, X-ray is a tool that can emit the electromagnetic rays. It has the same form as ordinary light rays, infrared and radio waves. X-rays has a form of the electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from 0.01 to 10 nanometers and have a frequency about 1016 up to 1021 Hz. This ray wavelengths shorter than UV rays and longer than gamma rays. X-rays were discovered by a scientist from the German named Wilhelm Conrad Rontgent in 1895.
X-rays obtained from the X-ray generator in the form of vacuum tubes. In the vacuum tubes, there are filaments as the cathode and the anode component. If the filament is heated, it will emit electrons and if between the cathode and the anode found a high potential difference, the negatively charged electrons will move accelerated towards the positively charged anode. When electrons collide with the anode, there will be X-ray radiation through two processes, namely the collisional interaction or radiation interaction.
History Of X-Ray
Wilhelm Rontgen was born in 1845 in the city of Lennep, Germany, obtained his doctorate in 1869 from the University of Zurich. At 1888, he was appointed as a scientist in physics and Director of the Physics Institute of the University of Wurburg. From there, in 1895, Rontgen made a discovery that made his name became famous.
However, when Rontgen powering electrical current in a cathode ray tube, he was surprised to see that the light began anneal on the screen which is located near the benches as stimulated by light. He put out the tube and the screen so that the light stops anneal. Because the cathode ray tube is fully enclosed, Rontgen soon realized that something invisible form of radiation must come from the tube when the electric light turned on. Because this mysterious thing, he calls the invisible radiation “X-rays” The “X” is a symbol of ordinary mathematical for something unknown.
December 1895, Rontgen wrote his first working paper about the X-ray. Within a few months, hundreds of scientists investigating X-rays, and within a year about 1000 working paper published on the subject!
Health Benefits of X-ray In the Medical
X-ray does not contain electrons, but the electrons magnetic waves. Therefore, he essentially similar to the radiation can be visible to the eye (light waves), except X-ray wavelengths much shorter. X-rays are the most recognized in the field of dental treatment and diagnosis. Another as radiotherapy, X-rays are used to destroy or prevent the growth of malignant tumors.
X-rays are also used in various industrial, example to measure the thickness of some object or looking for hidden damage. X-rays are also beneficial in many areas of scientific inquiry, ranging from biology to astronomy. X-rays have brought many benefits:
Wilhelm Roentgen discovered X-rays in 1895, which was then observed by Dr.Leopold Freund from Austria. Leopard observe if the x-rays can cause hair loss because of radiation. Leopard then recommend the x-ray beam is as a treatment for hypertrichosis. Hypertrichosis is a disease such as excessive hair growth on the unusual, such as the face, hands and stomach. However, the x-ray radiation is too strong, and need a tube to shrink the power of x-ray, which is then called Cornell tube.
at 1915, Dr.Geyser claims if the tube Cornell wearing ‘ultrasoft’ x-ray can be used for beauty treatment. Greyser and her son eventually formed Tricho Sales Corporation is applying light and short-wave treatment for their beauty treatment. later, they are discovered side effect of this treatment is that the patient’s skin wrinkles and thickening were found in some parts because of radiation exposure. X-ray clinic lasted until the Middle Ages and up to now there has been no act of beauty through the development of this practice. Just think about radiation and you must think x-ray is a bad treatment.
Side effects
X-Ray Permanent Hair Removal has some side effects, but it is not enough to cause cancer. For X-Ray Permanent Hair Removal is not to penetrate the inner skin. But there are side effects of those actions, such as redness on the skin, scars, and uneven skin tone. Irritation arising after the laser session can be overcome with a compress on the area of irritation.
One use of X-rays in the medical world is as radiographs. Radiographs are X-ray images obtained from the patient’s body lay in front of an X ray tracer and then irradiating using short-wave X-rays. Because bone has a lot of calcium, they can absorb X-rays effectively.
Side effect
The effects of radiography on the human body depends on how many doses are given, and it depends on its speed; whether given acutely (within instantaneous) or gradually (little by little).
For example, gamma radiation at a dose of 2 Sv (200 rem) given to the entire body within 30 minutes will cause dizziness and vomiting in some percent of the people affected by the dose, and the possibility of one percent will die within one or two months. For the same dose but administered in a span of one month or more, the effects of acute radiation syndrome does not occur.
Another example, acute radiation dose of 3.5 to 4 Sv (350-400 brakes) were given whole body will cause the death (approximately 50%) of those who received radiation within 30 days. In contrast, the same dose administered uniformly within one year did not result in the same result.
One of most important health benefits of x-rays is used for CT Scan. Others uses of the history of the discovery of X-rays in the medical world is Computed Tomography (CT scanning), a model of medical imaging which images tomographic or pieces of some areas of the body is taken through a two-dimensional X-rays were great.
Side effects
Risks of x-rays in kind of medical treatment you must consider. Some side effects that may be experienced by CT Scanning:
Radiation therapy (radiotherapy) generally uses the power of X-ray, but can also harness the power of protons or other kinds of energy. Radiotherapy function damage cancer cells by destroying the genetic material that controls cell growth and division of cancer cells themselves.
Most cancer patients will receive radiation therapy as part of treatment. Radiotherapy is used by doctors to help treat almost all types of cancer. Radiation therapy is also useful in treating some types of benign tumors. Here are some reasons why radiotherapy is done:
Side effects
The side effects of radiotherapy depend on the part of body that exposed and how much intensity is used. Maybe someone does not experience any side effects, while others experience some side effects at once.
Most side effects are temporary, able to be controlled, and most importantly, will soon disappear after treatment is completed.
There was also the risk that the public complained after radiation therapy, such as hair loss, skin irritation at the site of therapy, and fatigue.
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave guidelines to minimize exposure to unnecessary radiation from X-rays:
X-rays have side effects in the use, also has many health benefits. So be wise using X-rays.