X-ray imaging is a crucial diagnostic tool that provides valuable insights into a wide range of medical conditions. Because X-rays use ionizing radiation, however, it’s important to consider the possible health risks of X-ray procedures, including CT and fluoroscopy exams. In this article, we’ll discuss factors that influence X-ray safety, questions to ask your health care providers, and tips for minimizing risk.
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A Brief History of X-Rays
A Groundbreaking Discovery
On November 8, 1895, physicist Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen was experimenting with cathode rays—streams of electrons that were first observed in 1859 by two other German physicists, Julius Plücker and Johann Wilhelm Hittorf. During his experiment, he noticed a glow appear on a screen that was nine feet away, although he had shielded the tube he was using to produce the rays with thick black cardboard. Investigation of this strange phenomenon led to the discovery of a previ…