X-ray machine

An x-ray machine is a machine used to produce x-rays via x-ray tubes. These machines are designed to generate man made x-ray photons on demand.

Uses
X-ray technology is used in health care for bones, security and material analysis.

Radiography
X-rays are highly penetrating, and x-ray machines are used in radiology to take pictures of bones and teeth. This is because bones absorb the radiation more than the less-dense soft tissue. X-rays from a source are passed through the body and a photographic plate; areas where radiation is absorbed show up as white. This can be used to diagnose broken or fractured bones. Imaging of the digestive tract is done with the help of barium as a contrast medium.

Security
X-ray machines are used to screen objects non-invasively. Luggage at airports is examined for possible bombs and weapons. These machines are very low dose and safe to be around.

Advances in X-ray technology
A film of carbon nanotubes that emits electrons at room temperature when exposed to an electrical field has been fashioned into an X-ray device. An array of these emitters can placed around a target item to be scanned and the images from each emitter can be assembled by computer software to provide a 3-dimensional image of the target in a fraction of the time it takes using a conventional X-ray device. The carbon nanotube emitters also use less energy than conventional X-ray tubes leading to lower operational costs. (Zhang, et al., 2005)