Intravenous coronary angiography utilizing K-emission and bremsstrahlung X-rays produced by electron bombardment

摘要

The screening of the general population for coronary artery disease would be practical if a method existed for visualizing the extent of occlusion after an intravenous injection of contrast agent. Measurements performed with synchrotron radiation at SSRL and NSLS have shown that such an intravenous angiography procedure would be possible with an intense source of monochromatic X-rays. Because of the high cost of an electron synchrotron, theoretical analysis and experiments using inanimate phantoms has been undertaken to demonstrate the feasibility of using the spectrum produced by two appropriately chosen anode materials when bombarded with electrons in the 100--500 keV energy range for angiography. By using the X-rays emitted at 120(degree) to the incident electron direction, about 20--30% of the X-ray intensity would be due to K-emission lines. Calculations using the TIGERP Monte Carlo Code, have shown that high quality angiograms of human coronary arteries should be possible with a contrast agent containing ytterbium, if an electron beam pulses of 16 kJ were used for each anode target. The experimental program supported in part by the DOE has consisted of these theoretical calculations and experiments at the Dynamitron Electron Accelerator Facility at BNL.