6 Interesting Things About X-Ray Inspections That You Didn't Know

X-rays are a very interesting topic, and their significance can never be fully explained.

23:23 15 March 2023

X-rays are a very interesting topic, and their significance can never be fully explained. Namely, X-rays were discovered by accident by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, who was a German professor. During one of his experiments, he noticed that the fluorescent glow of the crystals was emitted when placed near high-voltage cathode-ray tubes, even in cases when these were shielded by dark papers. Some energy is produced by the tube, and can even cause the crystals to glow. Experiments that were conducted later showed that the radiation produced in this process can penetrate into the soft tissue but cannot penetrate into the bone. From this story, you can conclude that X-rays found the highest use in medicine, and even the very first Nobel Prize in Physics was given to Roentgen for this outstanding discovery. Inspired by this interesting topic, we have prepared a couple of interesting things about X-ray inspections you probably did not know. 

X-Ray Does Not Harm Food 

X-rays can also be used for food inspection. You have probably heard that food manufacturers and people in the food industry are using X-ray inspection for food testing. However, most people are intimidated due to harmful radiation. To that end, there is information on how X-ray inspection systems work, and there are also some X-ray systems that are used for safety measurements, product consistency, contamination detection, quality control, and some other things. Yet, you need to be experienced and well-educated on which system is used for the type of food you want to inspect. But worry not; these rays would not harm or contaminate your food in any sense. 

X-Rays Are Responsible for Discovering the Structure of DNA

X-rays are the ones that helped scientists learn much more about DNA, and they also helped determine the shape of the molecule. It was impossible to see that the DNA molecule is helix shaped until it was exposed to X-rays. This procedure uses a special technique called X-ray crystallography, which enables the X-rays to bounce off in 3D patterns as the atoms use the crystal lattice. During the 1950s, the British scientist Rosalind Franklin was the one to take the first picture of the molecule and reveal the actual structure of the molecule. However, she passed away before her discovery was recognized and she was given credit. 

These Rays Were Used Immediately After Discovery 

European surgeons started using the rays wells after the discovery. They used them to find bullets and other objects in human bodies. One of the doctors managed to find the needle in the hand of a woman. The next year, the X-rays were used in the US so that the bone fractures and some other injuries were discovered, and the Glasgow Royal Infirmary Department was formed. 

X-Rays Started the Revolution of the Tuberculosis Treatment and Started Destroying Cancer Cells

Namely, the discovery of X-rays was especially important for patients suffering from tuberculosis. These miraculous rays enabled doctors to better see spots and shadows covering the lungs of the patients and spot the tuberculosis bacteria. The rays were used for military purposes as well, in factories and mines, which helped them save a lot of lives since they provided authorities with useful information. You would be quite surprised to learn that at the earliest periods of X-ray use, doctors used these rays to burn the moles and growths on the patient’s skin. 

X-Rays Will Always Have a Tone of Mystery 

Did you know that “X” in X-ray stands for nothing else but “unknown”? X stands within its name despite the fact that scientists know tons about X-rays and what they are in essence. But, why is X still there? Roentgen named them X-rays because they were detected out of the blue and the only thing they knew about them was that they were rays, while all other stuff related to this phenomenon was unknown. Despite all of the stuff being unveiled, they continued to be X-rays which is a very good reminder of all of the mysteries surrounding these rays. 

X-Rays Are the Oldest and the Most Useful Medical Technology 

You know that X-rays have been around for a very long time and that they are used mostly for creating imaging, which is often referred to as one of the most useful and oldest medical advancements. Despite all other incredible technological advancements in imagining, X-rays have continued to be one of the most common medical improvements, and the technology is gladly used by medical professionals.

Fun Facts You Need to Know 

Did you know that Thomas Edison was really afraid of X-rays? For a great number of years, Thomas Edison devoted himself to developing the x-ray light bulb. Yet, even years after the project was canceled, one of his teammates continued to work on it, eventually getting cancer because of the extensive radiation exposure. Once one of Edison’s assistants started developing symptoms of radiation sickness, Edison stopped talking about the rays and declared that he was indeed afraid of them. 

Another interesting story is connected to the first X-ray image. Namely, when Roentgen discovered X-rays, he made the first image of his wife’s left hand, which had their wedding ring on it. However, when she saw the image for the first time, she declared that she was not impressed as she had seen her death. How mysterious these rays were best shows the fact that people did not know that they are dangerous if you are directly exposed to them for a long period of time. In the beginning, X-ray machines were used as photo booths. Also, they were used in shoe factories to see if they could fit and how to fit better. 

When they were originally introduced, X-rays caused a major paradigm shift in medical practice. These are the tools that are used in the process of disease detection in its early stages. This technology is also one of the most widely used and oldest medical tools that can detect even the slightest changes in the body. It can do this because it is able to detect even the smallest variations in blood flow. It was a ground-breaking finding that proved to be the single most important contribution to the field of TB therapy.