What does an area that preferentially attenuates x-rays appear as on an image?

An area that preferentially attenuates x-rays appears opaque on an image. This is because when x-rays pass through different materials, some materials absorb or deflect more x-rays than others. Areas that absorb a significant amount of x-rays will appear lighter or more opaque on the resulting image. This opacity occurs because the denser or thicker materials (such as bone or certain types of contrast media) do not allow x-rays to pass through easily, causing less x-ray exposure on the detector behind them. Thus, when viewing an x-ray image, these areas manifest as white or light regions, indicating that they have blocked or attenuated the x-rays significantly.