(eV) Electron volt is an energy unit defined as 1.60919 x10^-19 joules (in older unit 1.60919 x10^-12 erg). One electron volt is equal to the kinetic energy required to raise an electron through a potential difference of one volt (in a vacuum). The electron volt is not an SI unit but its use is valid within the International System for atomic (eV), electronic (keV), nuclear (MeV), and subnuclear processes (GeV or TeV).

In medical imaging used units:
MeV: One million electron volts
keV: One thousand electron volts.

(MeV) 1 Megaelectron volt = 1,000,000 eV

See Electron Volt.

X-rays are a part of the electromagnetic spectrum. X-rays and gamma rays are differentiated on the origin of the radiation, not on the wavelength, frequency, or the energy. X-rays are emitted by electrons outside the nucleus, while gamma rays are emitted by the nucleus. X-rays have wavelengths in the range of about 1 nanometer (nm) to 10 picometer (pm), frequencies in the range of 10^-16 to 10^-20 Hertz (Hz) and photon energies between 0.12 and 120 kilo electron Volt (keV). The energy of rays increase with decreased wavelengths. X-rays with energies between 10 keV and a few hundred keV are considered hard X-rays. The cutoff between soft or hard X-rays is around a wavelength of 100 pm.
Because of their short wavelength, X-rays interact little with matter and pass through a wide range of materials. These interactions occur as absorption or scattering;; primary are the photoelectric effect, Compton scattering and, for ultrahigh photon energies of above 1.022 mega electron Volt (MeV), pair production.
X-rays are produced when high energy electrons struck a metal target. The kinetic energy of the electrons is transformed into electromagnetic energy when the electrons are abruptly decelerated (also called bremsstrahlung radiation, or braking radiation) similar to the deceleration of the circulating electron beam in a synchrotron particle accelerator. Another type of rays is produced by the inner, more tightly bound electrons in atoms;; frequently occurring in decay of radionuclides (characteristic radiation, gamma ray, beta ray). The energy of an X-ray is equivalent to the difference in energy of the initial and final atomic state minus the binding energy of the electron.
Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered this type of rays (also called Roentgen-rays) in 1895 and realized that X-rays penetrate soft tissue but are absorbed by bones, which provides the possibility to image anatomic structures; the first type of diagnostic imaging was established. Radiographic images are based on this difference in attenuation for tissue and organs of different density. Today ionizing radiation is widely used in medicine in the field of radiology.

See also Exposure Factors, X-Ray Tube, and X-Ray Spectrum.

A lower orbited electron leaves the atom - the reoccupation of this vacancy by a higher orbited electron leads to the emission of energy which in turn leads to the emission of a second electron, the Auger electron.

See also Auger Electron, Electron Excitation, Megaelectron Volt and Auger Pierre Victor.

The Auger electron is emitted caused by the Auger effect. The kinetic energy of the Auger electron depends on the type of atom and the chemical environment. The energy of the Auger electron is in the range between 280 eV (electron volt) and 2100 eV. These different energy levels are utilized for chemical analysis.

See also Auger Effect, Compton Electron, Conversion Electron, Initiating Electron and Auger Pierre Victor.