- Radiopacity
Radiopacity refers to the relative inability of electromagnetism to pass through a particular material, particularly
X-rays . Dense materials that prevent the passage ofelectromagnetic radiation are called 'radiopaque'. The term refers to the relative opaque white appearance in radiographic imaging, when passing x-rays through dense matter .In
modern medicine , radiopaque substances are those that will not allowX-rays or similar radiation to pass. Radiologic imaging has been revolutionized by radiopaquedyes , or contrast media, which can be passed through the bloodstream, theintestinal tract, or into the cerebral spinal fluid and utilized to highlightcomputed tomography (CT) orX-ray images. Radiopacity is one of the key considerations in the design of various devices such asguidewire s orstent s that are used during radiological intervention. The radiopacity of a given endovascular device is important since it allows the device to be tracked during the interventional procedure.The two main factors contributing to a material's radiopacity are density and atomic number.
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