How does the energy of scattered radiation compare to that of the primary beam?

Scattered radiation has less energy than the primary beam due to the interactions it undergoes with matter. When primary radiation passes through tissues or other materials, it can be absorbed or deflected, causing a loss of energy. This process of scattering involves the photon interacting with atoms or electrons, resulting in a change of direction and a decrease in the energy of the photon.

As a result, the energy of scattered radiation is typically lower than that of the original beam. The primary beam, which is the radiation that is directed towards the imaging receptor, is composed of high-energy photons that are capable of producing high-quality images. In contrast, the scattered photons lose energy and, therefore, contribute less to the image quality and can also add noise or artifacts to the final radiographic image. Understanding this difference is crucial for optimizing imaging techniques and minimizing the impact of scattered radiation on image quality.