Bone density measured by photon scattering. I. A system for clinical use

Abstract

A system for the routine measurement of the density of the os calcis is described. Measurements are made of the number of photons scattered by the bone from a 153Sm photon beam. The first results from human subjects are presented.

The Effects of Intravenous Infusion of Saline on Lung Density, Lung Volumes, Nitrogen Washout, Computed Tomographic Scans, and Chest Radiographs in Humans1–3

“…We measured lung density with a Compton scatter technique (2,3). The procedure is based on the fact that when monoenergetic gamma rays impinge upon any tissue, the density of a defined volume of that tissue can be determined by measuring the fraction of the incident gamma rays that are scattered incoherently (4,5). From a 1.5-Ci source of radioactive samarium (í5 3Sm), well-collimated 103 keV gamma rays are directed at the lower lobe of the right lung through the anterior and posterior chest walls.…”

On the intricacy of imaging with incoherently-scattered radiation

“…(3) and (4) become equal when applied to the same radiation path. This method has been utilized in bone [3][4][5] and lung [6] density measurements and has been suggested for tomographic imaging [7]. Another approach to dealing with the attenuation problem is to provide a constant geometry for the attenuation factors, as was done by Harding and Tischler who surrounded the imaged objects with a water path [8].…”

Electron density of Rhizophora spp. wood using Compton scattering technique at 15.77, 17.48 and 22.16keV XRF energies

“…It was also used for the determination of the in-vivo tissue densities of bones by Clarke and Van Dyke (1973), Huddleston and Bhaduri (1979), Webber and Kennett (1976) and Kerr et al (1980). Norton (1994) described a new algorithm for reconstructing crosssectional electron density images based on the energy-dependent scattering of gamma rays.…”