X-Rays have been in use as a medical imaging technique since approximately 1895 when Wilhelm Roentgen discovered that he could create images of body structures like tissues and bones by putting electromagnetic waves through the body. He labeled the phenomenon “X” because he did not initially know the composition of the “rays”. Since that time, X-Rays have been the building block upon which medical imaging technology and medical imaging equipment have been made. Although the X-Ray (or radiograph) has long been a fundamental medical imaging tool, this approach has always had the drawback that the images made are not exact, which makes it so it requires extremely careful study and interpretation. Scientists have long searched for a way to enhance the quality of radiographic images.

Recent breakthroughs in the growth of laser X-Ray’s have led to advancements that have the ability to change the quality of radiographic images. The light generated by a laser would be very bright, so bright it could make distinct and strong contrasts on radiographic images. Moreover, grouping the power of a laser beam with X-Rays may improve images by a multiple of about 1,000. Medical imaging that could make the picture that much better might give us the resources to find abnormalities and cancers that you can not detect right now with our technology.

Until the last few years, the power source required to generate the appropriate strength laser beam for this invention was so massive that it was impractical to even try. However, because of new techniques, researchers at the University of Colorado in Boulder have created a method to make mighty laser beams from a “table top” size source of power. This makes laser X-Ray technology a practical reality.

The research team used a laser beam to send out atoms from argon, a highly stable chemical element. The resulting emission of X-Rays was too weak to be useful. The research team then shot the atoms right back at the argon which made a bigger, more smooth ray of X-Rays of big enough size to be useful to be emitted. This “boomerang” method is being fingered to make a highly regular, very mighty source of X-Rays, grouped with laser beams.

The method is not yet prepared for use in the medical field. Further research is needed to extend the method into the hard X-Ray area of the electromagnetic spectrum. When the task at hand has been overcome, the commercial laser X-Ray will follow.

NOTE: Use of this article requires links to be intact.

About the Author

Jesse Fisher loves writing articles for his customers including Transamerican Medical, a business that buys and sells Philips Medical equipment and parts. See also Imaging Centers online directory.