Cambridge A Level Physics

2022

MEDICAL
PHYSICS
(X - RAYS)

PAST PAPER QUESTIONS

Mrs. Sakunika Perera

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1 (a) State and explain how, in an X-ray tube, the hardness of the X-ray beam is controlled.

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(b) A parallel beam of X-rays has intensity I0 and is incident on a medium having a linear
absorption (attenuation) coefficient μ.

(i) State an equation for the variation of the intensity I with the thickness x of the medium.

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(ii) Data for the linear absorption (attenuation) coefficient μ for an X-ray beam in blood and
in muscle is shown in Fig. 11.1.

μ / cm−1
blood 0.23
muscle 0.22

Fig. 11.1

Suggest why, if this X-ray beam is used to image blood vessels in muscle, contrast on
the image would be poor.

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2 The use of X-rays in medical diagnosis gives rise to an increased exposure of the patient to
radiation.

Explain why

(a) an aluminium filter may be placed in the X-ray beam when producing an X-ray image of a
patient,

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(b) the radiation dose received by a patient is different for a CT scan from that for a simple X-ray
image.

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3 (a) Outline briefly the principles of CT scanning.

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4 (a) Distinguish between an X-ray image of a body structure and a CT scan.

X-ray image: ..............................................................................................................................

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CT scan: ...................................................................................................................................

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(b) Data for the linear absorption (attenuation) coefficient μ of X-ray radiation of energy 80 keV
are given in Fig. 11.1.

metal μ / mm−1

aluminium 0.46
copper 0.69

Fig. 11.1

A parallel X-ray beam is incident on a copper filter, as shown in Fig. 11.2.

copper
filter

incident beam emergent

intensity I0 beam

Fig. 11.2

The intensity of the incident beam is I0.

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(i) Calculate the thickness of copper required to reduce the intensity of the emergent beam
to 0.25 I0.

thickness = ................................................. mm [2]

(ii) An aluminium filter of thickness 2.4 mm is now placed in the X-ray beam, together with
the copper filter in (i).

Calculate the fraction of the incident intensity that emerges after passing through the two
filters.

fraction = ......................................................... [2]

(iii) Express your answer in (ii) as a gain in decibels (dB).

gain = ................................................... dB [3]

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5 (a) Distinguish between sharpness and contrast in X-ray imaging.

sharpness: .......................................................................................................................

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contrast: ...........................................................................................................................

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(b) State two causes of loss of sharpness of an X-ray image.

1. ......................................................................................................................................

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2. ......................................................................................................................................

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(c) Data for the linear attenuation (absorption) coefficient μ of X-ray photons are given in
Fig. 10.1.

μ / cm–1
bone 2.85
muscle 0.95

Fig. 10.1

A parallel beam of X-rays is incident, separately, on a thickness of 3.5 cm of bone and

on a muscle of thickness 8.0 cm.
(i) Calculate the ratio

intensity of X-ray beam transmitted through bone

.
intensity of X-ray beam transmitted through muscle

ratio = ................................................. [3]

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(ii) Use your answer in (i) to suggest whether an X-ray image of the bone and muscle
would show good or poor contrast.

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6 (a) Explain how the hardness of an X-ray beam is controlled by the accelerating voltage in
the X-ray tube.

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(b) The attenuation of a parallel beam of X-ray radiation is given by the expression

I
= e–μx
I0

where μ is the linear attenuation (absorption) coefficient and x is the thickness of the
material through which the beam passes.

(i) State

1. what is meant by attenuation,

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2. why the expression applies only to a parallel beam.

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(ii) The linear attenuation coefficients for X-rays in bone and in soft tissue are 2.9 cm–1
and 0.95 cm–1 respectively.

Calculate, for a parallel X-ray beam, the ratio

fraction I of intensity transmitted through bone of thickness 2.5 cm

I0
.
fraction I of intensity transmitted through soft tissue of thickness 6.0 cm
I0

ratio = .................................................. [2]

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7 9 High-speed electrons are incident on a metal target. The spectrum of the emitted X-ray
radiation is shown in Fig. 11.1.

intensity

0
wavelength

Fig. 11.1

(a) Explain why

(i) there is a continuous distribution of wavelengths,

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(ii) there is a sharp cut-off at short wavelength.

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(b) State

(i) what is meant by the hardness of an X-ray beam,

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(ii) how hardness is controlled.

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(c) (i) Suggest why, when producing an X-ray image, long-wavelength X-ray radiation
poses a greater hazard to health than short-wavelength radiation.

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(ii) Suggest how this hazard is minimised.

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