Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Flashcards

What does 'kVp' control in an X-ray generator?

Answer: Penetrating power (energy) of the X-ray beam

Peak kilovoltage (kVp) sets the maximum energy of X-ray photons, determining how well the beam penetrates dense tissues like bone.

Which imaging modality uses radiofrequency pulses and a strong magnetic field rather than ionizing radiation?

Answer: MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

MRI aligns hydrogen protons with a strong magnetic field then uses RF pulses to disturb and detect their relaxation, producing images without ionizing radiation.

A portable X-ray unit's collimator is found to be misaligned during PM. Why is this clinically significant?

Answer: Misalignment exposes patients to unnecessary radiation outside the intended field

Collimator misalignment means the radiation field does not match the light field, potentially exposing unintended anatomy and violating ALARA principles.

In a PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System), what standard protocol is used to transfer images?

Answer: DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine)

DICOM is the universal standard for storing, transmitting, and displaying medical images across modalities and systems.

What is the purpose of a daily QC phantom scan performed on a CT scanner?

Answer: To verify image quality metrics such as noise, uniformity, and CT number accuracy

Phantom QC scans detect day-to-day drifts in CT number (HU) accuracy, image noise, and uniformity before patients are scanned.

Which component in an X-ray tube is the source of electrons?

Answer: Cathode filament

The cathode filament is heated by current until thermionic emission releases electrons, which are then accelerated toward the anode.