A Tunable Energy Filter for Medical X-Ray Imaging

• A multiprism lens (MPL) is a refractive X-ray lens, and its chromatic properties can be employed in an energy filtering setup to obtain a narrow tunable X-ray spectrum. We present the first evaluation of such a filter for medical X-ray imaging. The experimental setup yields a 6.6 gain of flux at 20 keV, and we demonstrate tunability by altering the energy spectrum to center also around 17 and 23 keV. All measurements are found to agree well with ray-tracing and a proposed geometrical model. Compared to a model mammography system with absorption filtering, the experimental MPL filter reduces dose 13–25% for 3–7 cm breasts if the spectrum is centered around the optimal energy. Additionally, the resolution is improved 2.5 times for a 5 cm breast. The scan time is increased 3 times but can be reduced with a slightly decreased energy filtering and resolution.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Annan teknik -- Övrig annan teknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Other Engineering and Technologies -- Other Engineering and Technologies not elsewhere specified (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Medicinteknik -- Medicinsk laboratorie- och mätteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Medical Engineering -- Medical Laboratory and Measurements Technologies (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Radiologi och bildbehandling (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Atom- och molekylfysik och optik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

x-ray imaging

mammography

x-ray optics

multiprism lens

energy filtering

radiation dose

Other engineering physics

Övrig teknisk fysik

Medical engineering

Medicinsk teknik

Radiological physics

Radiofysik

Optical physics

Optisk fysik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)