x-rays
x-rays — noun
1. energy in the form of extremely short waves that can travel through solid object
energy in the form of extremely short waves that can travel through solid objects such as wood and human tissue, used mainly in medicine to create images of bones and organs inside the body
The dentist placed a heavy lead apron over Megan to protect her from X-rays during the procedure.
collocation: protect from X-rays
X-rays pass easily through muscle and skin but are blocked by dense materials like bone and metal.
X-rays + verb (pass through / are blocked by)
Airport security machines use tiny amounts of X-rays to see what is inside passengers' luggage.
Too much exposure to X-rays over a person's lifetime can increase health risks, so doctors use them only when needed.
- radiation
broader term that includes other types of energy rays such as gamma rays
- Röntgen rays
historical term for X-rays, rarely used outside specialist texts
文法句型
X-rays + verb (are used / can pass through)
用法筆記
When referring to the radiation itself, X-rays is treated as a plural noun that takes a plural verb (X-rays are…); in technical writing the singular form X-ray radiation is sometimes preferred.
常見錯誤
2. a black-and-white picture of the inside of a body, created by directing X-ray en
a black-and-white picture of the inside of a body, created by directing X-ray energy through the body onto film or a digital screen, used by doctors to see bones and organs
The doctor held Noa's X-ray up to the light and pointed to a thin crack in her wrist bone.
an X-ray + of [body part] showing an injury
Tariro's chest X-ray showed that both lungs were clear and healthy.
body-part + X-ray as a compound noun
The nurse pinned Haruto's dental X-rays onto the light board for the dentist to examine.
Mizuki kept a copy of her daughter's ankle X-ray in the family medical folder at home.
The emergency doctor looked at Lien's X-ray and said the elbow was not broken, just badly bruised.
- radiograph
formal medical term for an X-ray image, rarely used outside hospitals or professional reports
文法句型
an X-ray of [body part]
have / get an X-ray done
用法筆記
X-ray (photograph) is a countable noun — one X-ray, two X-rays. It is commonly combined with a body part as a compound noun: chest X-ray, dental X-ray, ankle X-ray.
常見錯誤
3. a medical appointment or procedure during which a picture of the inside of the b
a medical appointment or procedure during which a picture of the inside of the body is taken with X-rays so that a doctor can check for broken bones, disease, or other health problems
After Sofie fell off her bicycle, the doctor sent her for an X-ray of her left shoulder.
go for / send someone for an X-ray
The X-ray only took about ten minutes, but Asher had to wait an hour for the results.
Rania had a chest X-ray as part of her yearly health check at the clinic.
The dentist recommended an X-ray to find out whether Ignacio had a cavity between two of his back teeth.
Trang needed an X-ray after he twisted his knee during a soccer game, but fortunately nothing was torn.
- scan
more general term for any medical imaging procedure, including CT and MRI scans, not limited to X-ray technology
文法句型
have / get / go for an X-ray
an X-ray of [body part]
用法筆記
This sense refers to the event or procedure, not the resulting image. If you say I had an X-ray this morning, you mean the examination took place; to talk about the picture, use sense 2 (BODY IMAGE).
常見錯誤
x-rays — verb
- x-rayspresent simple I / you / we / they
- x-rayses3rd person singular
- x-raysing-ing form
- x-raysedpast simple
1. to point a special machine at a person or animal so that short-wave energy passe
to point a special machine at a person or animal so that short-wave energy passes through their body and creates a picture of bones and internal organs for medical diagnosis
The nurse X-rayed Devika's leg to see whether the bone was broken or just badly bruised.
X-rayed + body part as direct object
After the car accident, the hospital staff X-rayed Tariro's neck and spine as a safety measure.
The veterinarian X-rayed the dog's stomach to find out what the animal had swallowed.
Megan's suitcase was X-rayed at the airport before she was allowed to board the plane.
Ignacio had his injured wrist X-rayed the morning after he fell off his skateboard.
- scan
broader term that covers other imaging techniques such as CT or MRI, not just X-ray technology
文法句型
X-ray + object
be / get X-rayed
have [body part] X-rayed
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive (be/get X-rayed) because the patient or object receives the action. The active subject is usually a medical professional or security officer.