What term describes a reduction of x-ray beam intensity through scatter and absorption?

The term that accurately describes a reduction of x-ray beam intensity due to scatter and absorption is attenuation. Attenuation refers to the process where the intensity of radiation decreases as it passes through matter. This reduction in intensity occurs because some of the x-ray photons are absorbed by the material, and others may be scattered in different directions instead of continuing in their original path. Factors affecting attenuation include the energy of the x-ray beam and the type of tissue or material through which it passes.

In contrast, reflection refers to the bouncing back of x-ray photons when they encounter a surface, which does not contribute to the attenuation of the beam in the context of tissue interaction. Diffraction involves the bending of waves around obstacles or through openings, which is not relevant to the absorption and scattering phenomena described. Transmission, while related to the movement of x-ray photons through matter, does not account for the loss of intensity that occurs due to absorption and scatter, which are key aspects of attenuation.