Monochromatic Mammographic Imaging Using X-Ray Polycapillary Optics

摘要

Monochromatic imaging is typically done with synchrotron sources. These sources are expensive and not practical for clinical settings. However, conventionaI laboratory sources normally have insufficient intensity. Polycapillary x-ray optics can be used to efficiently produce an intense parallel beam, which can be diffracted from a crystal to create monochromatic radiation. Monochromatic parallel beam imaging produces high subject contrast, high resolution, and low patient dose. Contrast, resolution, and intensity measurements were performed with both high and low angular acceptance crystals. Testing was first done at 8 keV with an intense copper rotating anode source. Preliminary l7.5 kev measurements were then made with a molybdenum source. At 8 keV, contrast enhancement was a factor of five relative to the polychromatic case, in good agreement with theoretical values. At l7.5 kev, monochromatic subject contrast was a factor of two times greater than the conventional polychromatic contrast. The measured angular resolution with a silicon crystal is 0.6 mrad at 8 keV, and 0.2 - 0.3 mrad at 17.5 keV. For a 50-mm thick patient, this angle corresponds to 50 lp/mm with an ideal detector. The use of polychromatic collimating optics allow monochromatic mammographic imaging measurements with a conventional x-ray source in a practical clinical setting.