Electron Density Measurement Using Multi-Energy X-Rays from a Conventional Laboratory X-Ray Source

Abstract

We have proposed a method to obtain the electron density and effective atomic number from the attenuation coefficients of multi-energy X-rays. The simulations were performed using NIST’s database and demonstrate that our approach can facilitate electron density measurements within accuracy of 1% in a human body. The proposed method exhibited an improvement in the accuracy of electron density measurements, which were obtained from experimental linear attenuation coefficients using a conventional laboratory X-ray source with energy spectrum.

Electron Density and Effective Atomic Number Measurement by Using a Newly Developing Photon Counting CT System

“…4. While, the differences of effective atomic numbers are almost within 5 %, which is the comparable to the limit of the accuracy by our simulation [10]. This means the present measurements are enough to getting an effective atomic number.…”

“…ρe F(k)Z 4 and ρe G(Z, k) denote a photoelectric term and a scattering term of the linear attenuation coefficient, respectively. F(k) does not depend on atomic number [10]. It has been highlighted that G(Z, k) does not have strong atomic number dependence [10].…”

“…F(k) does not depend on atomic number [10]. It has been highlighted that G(Z, k) does not have strong atomic number dependence [10]. Therefore we regard G(Z, k) = G(k) and eqn.…”

“…Recently, we have proposed the new method to derive the electron density and effective atomic number from attenuation coefficients at the several energies by a simulation study [10]. In our method, "effective cross sections", which correspond to photoelectric effects, incoherent scattering and coherent scattering, can be obtained by using the calibration materials of single elements.…”