What term refers to an "unseen image" captured on an imaging receptor?

The term "latent image" refers to an unseen image captured on an imaging receptor. This concept is fundamental in radiography, where the latent image is created when X-rays or other forms of radiation expose a photosensitive medium—such as film or a digital imaging sensor. At this point, although the image has been recorded, it is not yet visible to the human eye.

To reveal this latent image, a development process must be employed, which brings out the detailed structures and tissues that were captured during the initial exposure. This process is crucial in both traditional film-based radiography and digital imaging, although the methods of processing differ between the two. Understanding the term "latent image" is essential for imaging professionals as it highlights the stages of image formation and the need for proper development techniques to visualize the captured data.