Interesting Facts

According to research published in the American Journal of Roentgenology, X-rays fail to spot up to nearly a third of fractures in the bones of the hip and pelvis, research suggests. (When US doctors from Duke University re-checked the X-ray results of 92 patients using a more detailed scanner, called an MRI, they found 35 fractures that had been missed. Eek! That's a scary thought.)

Peeling sticky tape emits X-rays. (According to a report in Nature journal, US researchers have shown that peeling sticky tape emits X-rays strong enough to scan a human finger. They used a motorised peeling machine to unwind a roll of Sellotape at a rate of 3cm per second. The apparatus was placed in a vacuum and they measured X-rays strong enough to X-ray a human digit.)