Cannabis-infused edibles are food products, such as gummies, chocolates, and baked goods, that contain cannabinoids like delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). A standard X-ray, or radiograph, uses electromagnetic radiation to create a two-dimensional picture of internal structures. The organic food product itself is generally invisible on a radiographic scan of the human body. This invisibility is due to the basic scientific principles that govern how X-ray energy interacts with different types of matter.
How X-rays Interact with Matter
Radiographic imaging relies on the principle of differential attenuation, which is the process by which X-ray beams are absorbed or blocked to varying degrees as they pass through an object. Two primary properties of matter determine this absorption rate: physical density and atomic number. Materials with a high atomic number and high physical density will block more X-rays. This high absorption results in a white or bright appearance on the final X-ray image, known as radiopacity.
Conversely, materials that have a low atomic number and low physical density allow most of the X-ray energy to pass straight through. This low absorption results in a dark or black appearance on the X-ray image, described as radiolucent. The human body contains a range of these densities, which creates the grayscale image. For example, air in the lungs is the least dense and appears black, while bone, which contains high-density calcium, appears bright white.
Soft tissues in the body, such as muscle, fat, and internal organs, display various shades of gray. The X-ray image is essentially a shadowgram where contrast is generated by differences in X-ray attenuation between adjacent materials. Any object placed inside the body must possess a significantly different density or atomic number than the surrounding soft tissue to be clearly discernible. The ability to distinguish one internal structure from another hinges on this contrast.
Are Edibles Radiolucent or Radiopaque?
The lack of visibility of edibles on an X-ray stems from their fundamental chemical composition. Edibles are composed primarily of organic molecules, which include carbohydrates, fats, and water. The cannabis extract itself is an oil, a type of fat.
These organic compounds are made up mostly of elements like carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, which all have very low atomic numbers. The resulting physical density of an edible is comparable to the soft tissues of the stomach and intestines. When an X-ray beam passes through the edible inside the gastrointestinal tract, the amount of X-ray energy absorbed is nearly identical to the amount absorbed by the surrounding organ tissue.
Because the edible does not significantly attenuate the X-ray beam compared to the tissue it is sitting against, it creates no detectable contrast. This makes the product radiolucent and visually indistinguishable from the background gray of the internal anatomy. Even the concentrated cannabis oil or extract infused into the product is an organic material and does not contain any high-atomic-number elements that would make it visible.
Therefore, a standard radiograph cannot identify the presence of a cannabis edible within the body. The food product blends into the soft tissue background of the abdomen, much like other swallowed food or fecal matter. X-ray technology is designed to highlight structures with high-density differences, not subtle variations in low-density organic matter.
The Role of Packaging and Contraband
While the edible product itself is invisible, the X-ray image might still show something related to it, primarily the packaging or any materials used for concealment. Modern cannabis packaging is often required to be child-resistant and tamper-evident, which frequently involves the use of denser materials than the food itself. Hard plastic containers, thick aluminum foil wrappers, or metalized pouches are common examples used to meet these regulatory standards.
These packaging components contain higher-density elements than the organic food, making them more likely to attenuate the X-ray beam and appear as shapes on the image. Hard plastics, while still low-density, may be thick enough to cast a faint shadow. Aluminum or other metallic foils will appear brighter, though less bright than steel or bone.
In cases where edibles are concealed for purposes of smuggling or contraband, highly dense foreign objects may be used for wrapping or ingestion. Materials with very high atomic numbers, such as lead, dense metals, or tightly packed ceramic objects, will be highly radiopaque, appearing bright white against the soft tissue background. The X-ray detects the dense, non-food object or packaging material, not the organic cannabis product inside it.