Fun Facts About Broken Bones

All bone breaks and fractures are not created equal. A complete fracture is when the bone is broken in two; a greenstick fracture is when the bone does not crack the whole way through; a comminuted fracture is when a bone is shattered or crushed; an open fracture is when a bone pokes through the skin; and a bowing fracture is just what it sounds like (the bone bows but does not break). Before the days of medical imaging technology, such as xrays and xray accessories, doctors had to feel where a break was prior to treating it. Considering that the worst thing to do with a broken bone is move it, this method was very painful indeed. In 1895, however, Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen accidentally discovered an image cast from a cathode ray generator, and named it X Radiation (xray for short).

The field of medical imaging has come a long way since the 19th century. Tandem with the vast developments in technology, however, is the increased need for radiation protection products such as xray accessories like lead aprons and lead glasses. This is because radiation in any form is still radiation. The radiation from diagnostic xrays, like a dental xray for example, contains about .005 millisieverts of radiation, according to the American College of Radiology. That is the same amount of radiation you get in a normal day from the sun. As such, xray accessories like lead shields can block up to 99 percent of the radiation generated from an xray machine.

There are additional xray accessories beyond protection. For medical offices and hospitals, technology for the storage and transfer of xray images are necessary, too. Modern xray accessories can enable the delivery and storage of xray images without the cumbersome hassle of xray film. One such technology is picture archiving and communication systems (such as PACS computer, Pacs monitors, or a PACS workstation), which uses web technology to quickly display, deliver, and retrieve xray images.