In this first episode of my new series, "Radiology Q&A", I'm answering the question, "what happens when the x-ray button is pressed?"    

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As an instructor of radiologic technology teaching exposure principles, this is a question we spend some time on throughout the radiography program.  I'm doing my best to sum it up in just a few short minutes!  Essentially, the x-ray button is pressed half-way to cause two main things to happen: anode acceleration to constant velocity and thermionic emission at the cathode.  Once that constant velocity has been reached at the anode, the technologist has the green light to press the button the entire way down... this causes potential difference (kVp) to be applied to the current going to the anode, which propels the electrons toward the tungsten target of the anode, where x-rays are produced as a result of their interaction.  

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