Tungsten target refers to which of the following?

Tungsten target refers to which of the following?

• A. A focal spot in the anode
• B. The receiver that captures the image
• C. A material used to shield the patient
• D. A type of contrast medium

Answer: (A)

Think about how X-rays are produced. High-speed electrons released from the cathode collide with a small region of the anode called the target, and that interaction generates the X-rays you form an image with. The exact small area where those collisions occur is the focal spot. Tungsten is chosen for the target because its high atomic number makes X-ray production efficient and its very high melting point with good thermal conductivity lets it survive the intense heat from the electron beam. So a tungsten target refers to that focal spot on the anode where X-rays are produced. It’s not the image receptor, a shielding piece, or a contrast agent.

Think about how X-rays are produced. High-speed electrons released from the cathode collide with a small region of the anode called the target, and that interaction generates the X-rays you form an image with. The exact small area where those collisions occur is the focal spot. Tungsten is chosen for the target because its high atomic number makes X-ray production efficient and its very high melting point with good thermal conductivity lets it survive the intense heat from the electron beam. So a tungsten target refers to that focal spot on the anode where X-rays are produced. It’s not the image receptor, a shielding piece, or a contrast agent.