Anything that permits the penetration and
passage of X-rays or other forms of radiation. Radiolucent is as
opposed to radiopaque (which refers to anything that blocks
the penetration of X-rays).
Plastic is usually radiolucent. If a child swallows a radiolucent
plastic paperclip, that paperclip will not be visible on X-ray so it
may not be possible to tell whether it is in the stomach or down in
the intestines (where it represents no problem) or lodged in the
airway to the lungs (where it can be a big problem).
To make radiolucent structures visible on X-ray, radiopaque dyes
may be used. For instance, in an intravenous pyelogram (an
IVP), a radiopaque dye is injected into the bloodstream and passes
into the urine, outlining the otherwise radiolucent renal pelvis and
ureters -- the renal pelvis where the urine is collected and the
ureters that serve as conduits for the urine from the kidneys to the
bladder.
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