Attenuation refers to the reduction in strength or intensity of a signal as it travels through a medium. This phenomenon can occur in various contexts, such as in telecommunications, where signals weaken over long distances, or in acoustics, where sound diminishes as it moves away from the source. In the context of medical imaging, attenuation describes how different tissues absorb or scatter energy, affecting the quality of images produced by techniques like X-rays or CT scans. Understanding attenuation is crucial for optimizing these technologies and ensuring accurate diagnostics.