Coherent and incoherent scattering of 17.44 and 6.93 keV x-ray photons scattered from biological and biological-equivalent samples: characterization of tissues

摘要

The angular distribution of photons scattered by healthy (adipose and glandular) and cancerous human breast tissue and by tissue-equivalent materials were measured for photon energies of 17.44 keV (Kalpha radiation of Mo) and 6.93 keV (Kalpha radiation of Co) using an x-ray tube equipped with a graphite monochromator and a goniometer system. The measurements of 17.44 keV were performed in transmission geometry with an acceptance of +/-0.3degrees and an uncertainty of similar to7%. The measurements at 6.93 keV were performed in reflection geometry with solid samples in order to detect crystal structures in the samples. All samples show scattering signatures similar to those of amorphous material, but some of them also present sharp peaks corresponding to crystalline structure. Strong differences between breast-equivalent material and breast tissue occur at low and medium scattering angles. Healthy and cancerous breast tissue show considerable differences. The results demonstrate that x-ray scattering signatures (coherent and incoherent) are good parameters for characterizing breast tissue. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd. [References: 15]