What type of x-ray photon interaction with the body is primarily responsible for the absorbed radiation dose to the patient?

The photoelectric effect is primarily responsible for the absorbed radiation dose to the patient because it involves the complete absorption of x-ray photons by the body's tissues. During the photoelectric effect, an x-ray photon is completely absorbed by an inner-shell electron of an atom in the tissue. This absorption transfers all the energy of the photon to the electron, ejecting it from its orbit and resulting in ionization of the atom. The interaction generates a vacancy that can lead to further ionization and biological effects in the tissue.

The significance of the photoelectric effect lies in its contribution to dose absorption since a significant portion of radiation energy gets deposited directly in the tissues it interacts with. This not only highlights the importance of dose management in radiographic procedures but also emphasizes the characteristics of tissue, such as atomic number, as a factor in the likelihood of these interactions occurring. Tissues with higher atomic numbers, such as calcium in bones, are especially prone to this effect.

While Compton scattering does contribute to dose and can increase the amount of scatter radiation, it typically results in partial energy transfer, which means not all the energy is absorbed by the patient's tissue. Pair production occurs at high photon energies and is not relevant at the diagnostic range of x-rays typically used in radi