In this episode of The Central Ray Podcast, we break down Compton scatter as one of the primary interactions in diagnostic radiography and a major contributor to both image degradation and radiation exposure.

We begin by framing the three possible outcomes of an x-ray photon interacting with the patient—transmission, absorption, and scatter—before focusing on how Compton interactions occur at the atomic level. You’ll learn how a photon transfers energy to an outer-shell electron, resulting in ionization, a Compton electron, and a deflected photonthat continues through the patient.

The episode emphasizes a critical concept: scattered photons still carry energy, but no longer represent their origi ...