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G Matscheko

Publications and source records attributed to G Matscheko.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Compton spectroscopy in the diagnostic x-ray energy range. I. Spectrometer design.

The optimal design of a Compton spectrometer for measuring photon energy spectra from x-ray tubes in a clinical laboratory is analysed. The demands are: (i) coherent and multiple scattering distort the measurements and must be avoided; (ii) the measuring time should be as short as possible to avoid unnecessary wear on the x-ray tube; and (iii) the impairment in energy resolution due to the scattering geometry should be kept minimal. A scattering angle of 90 degrees is advocated. Scatterers (of low-atomic-number material) in the shape of long circular rods (0.5-4 mm diameter, 20-40 mm long) are preferable to scattering foils. Use of a short focus-scatterer distance (approximately 200 mm) is to be preferred compared to using a large detector area (greater than or equal to 4 mm diameter) in order to establish a sufficiently high count rate in the detector. Short focal distances and a 90 degrees scattering angle are advantages in measuring energy spectra in the gantry of CT machines where the available space is limited. To limit the geometrical energy broadening to less than 1 keV, the spread in scattering angles of registered photons must not exceed 1-2 degrees for incident photon energies of 100-150 keV.

Algorithms↗

Compton spectroscopy in the diagnostic x-ray energy range. II. Effects of scattering material and energy resolution.

The overall performance of a Compton spectrometer and, in particular, its energy resolution are investigated both experimentally and theoretically for different scattering materials. Using low-Z (less than or equal to 8) scatterers of moderate sizes (scatterer diameter d less than or equal to 5 mm), there are negligible disturbances due to coherent and/or multiple scattering at 90 degrees scattering angle and photon energies above 20 keV. Two factors contribute to decreasing the energy resolution compared with that in direct measurements: (i) the velocity distribution of the electrons in the scatterer and (ii) the scattering geometry. Of these, (i) is dominant for photon energies less than or equal to 100 keV. The optimal scattering material is a metal of as low Z as possible, i.e. beryllium. However, polyethylene and lucite are normally sufficiently good scatterers. The scattering geometry may become the dominating factor decreasing energy resolution at high photon energies hv greater than or equal to 150 keV.

Radiation↗

Measurement of absolute energy spectra from a clinical CT machine under working conditions using a Compton spectrometer.

Absolute measurements of photon energy spectra (keV-1 sr-1 mA-1 s-1) from a clinical CT machine have been performed under normal working conditions (140 mA tube current) using a Compton spectrometer. The inaccuracy of the measured spectra is estimated to be +/- 6%, determined by uncertainties in dead-time corrections and in the parameters of the geometrical set-up. Absorbed doses measured in thermoluminescent LiF dosimeters agree within this uncertainty with calculated ones derived from measured spectra (80 kVp, 120 kVp and 140 kVp) and tabulated mass energy absorption coefficients for LiF. Comparison with tabulated energy spectra from the literature clearly shows the effect of the extremely small anode angle (7 degrees) in the CT machine (15 degrees and 17 degrees for the tabulated energy spectra).

Algorithms↗

A generalised algorithm for spectral reconstruction in Compton spectroscopy with corrections for coherent scattering.

Reconstruction of primary-photon energy spectra from pulse-height distributions obtained in a Compton spectrometer has earlier been performed under the assumption that coherent scattering in the scatterer is negligible. This holds for most clinical x-ray units operated in the range 40-150 kV. In mammography, and to some extent in dental radiography, the relatively high frequency of low-energy photons (less than 30 keV) in the primary beam makes it necessary to extend the algorithms to allow for significant contribution of coherent scattering. This extension is performed as a perturbation calculation to the algorithms developed earlier in which a modified Klein-Nishina scattering cross section was taken as the total scattering cross section. Comparison with energy spectra measured in the primary beam indicates that the Compton spectrometer with the extended algorithm is an excellent instrument for measuring energy spectra with energies down to a few keV.

Algorithms↗

A Compton scattering spectrometer for determining X-ray photon energy spectra.

With the use of more sophisticated diagnostic technologies it is becoming increasingly important to know the energy spectra of the primary photons from clinical x-ray tubes. At the high fluence rates used under working conditions, it is necessary to greatly reduce the number of photons to the detector per unit time in order to avoid pulse pile-up. The Compton scattering method is very suitable for this reduction and hence it has been further developed in this work in the primary-photon energy range 20-200 keV. The movement of the electrons in the scattering target causes an energy broadening of the Compton scattered photons. This broadening results in a decreased energy resolution, which is particularly seen as a smearing out of the characteristic x-ray peaks of the anode material. Comparison between the spectrum obtained using a Compton spectrometer and unfolded with our reconstruction and the spectrum measured directly in the primary beam shows very good agreement even though relatively simple reconstruction algorithms have been used.

Humans↗