Feasibility Studies of Parametric X-rays Use in a Medical Environment

Journal Article · Tue Mar 10 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3120075· OSTI ID:21289574

Sones, Bryndol ^[1]; Danon, Yaron; Blain, Ezekiel ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics, United States Military Academy, ATTN: MADN-PHYS, 646 Swift Road, West Point NY 10996-1905 (United States)
2. Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th St., Troy NY 12180 (United States)

Parametric X-rays (PXR) are produced from the interaction of relativistic electrons with the periodic structure of crystal materials. Smooth X-ray energy tunability is achieved by rotating the crystal with respects to the electron beam direction. Experiments at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 60-MeV LINAC produce quasi-monochromatic X-rays (6-35 keV) from various target crystals to include highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), LiF, Si, Ge, Cu, and W using electron beam currents up to 6 uA. These experiments demonstrate the first PXR images and some of the merits of thin metallic crystals. Recent experiments with a 100-{mu}m thick Cu crystal improve the Cu PXR (with energy {approx}12 keV) to Cu fluorescence ratio by a factor of 20 compared to a 1 mm-thick Cu crystal. This study uses Monte Carlo techniques to investigate (1) PXR dose compared to emissions from simulated Mo, Rh, and W anodes for mammography applications and (2) electron scattering effects when considering LiF111, Si111, and Cu111 PXR production using electron beams with energies of 20-30 MeV. Advantages in using monochromatic PXR compared to X-rays from Mo and Rh anodes in mammography applications result in a dose per incident photon reduction by a factor of 2. Using 20 MeV electrons, the thinner Cu111 crystal for 15 keV PXR production results in an electron scattering angle of 30.7+/-0.2 mrad offering the best potential for PXR from lower energy electro0008.

• OSTI ID: 21289574
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 1099; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANODES
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COPPER
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
ELECTRON BEAMS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLUORESCENCE
GRAPHITE
KEV RANGE
LITHIUM FLUORIDES
MEV RANGE
MOLYBDENUM
MONTE CARLO METHOD
RADIATION DOSES
RHODIUM
SILICON
TUNGSTEN
X RADIATION