Radiology Practice Test

A radiopaque structure appears?

1. Black and dark shades

2. White, light, and shades of gray

3. Blue, green, and red colors

4. Yellow and orange hues

The correct answer is: White, light, and shades of gray

Radiopaque structures appear white, light, and shades of gray on radiographic images. This is because radiopaque materials, such as bone and certain types of contrast agents, absorb a significant amount of X-rays. As a result, these structures block the passage of X-rays, which leads to less radiation exposure reaching the film or detector and produces lighter images. In contrast, structures that are less radiopaque (like soft tissues or fluids) allow more X-rays to pass through, appearing darker on the imaging.