Method and apparatus for measuring lung density by Compton backscattering

Patent · 31 December 1990

OSTI ID:867759

Loo, Billy W ^[1]; Goulding, Frederick S ^[2]

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1. Oakland, CA
2. Lafayette, CA

The density of the lung of a patient suffering from pulmonary edema is monitored by irradiating the lung by a single collimated beam of monochromatic photons and measuring the energies of photons Compton backscattered from the lung by a single high-resolution, high-purity germanium detector. A compact system geometry and a unique data extraction scheme are utilized to monimize systematic errors due to the presence of the chestwall and multiple scattering.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5003980
• Application Number: 07/470,420
• OSTI ID: 867759
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/600/378/
apparatus
backscattered
backscattering
beam
chestwall
collimated
collimated beam
compact
compton
compton backscattered
data
density
detector
due
edema
energies
errors
errors due
extraction
geometry
germanium
germanium detector
high-purity
high-resolution
irradiating
lung
measuring
method
monimize
monitored
monochromatic
monochromatic photons
multiple
patient
photons
presence
pulmonary
scattering
scheme
single
suffering
systematic
unique
utilized