CHAPTER 10

X-RAY INTERACTION WITH MATTER

FIVE X-RAY INTERACTION WITH o EKE = electron kinetic energy

MATTER
The probability of the Compton Effect is
Low-Energy X-ray inversely proportional to x-ray energy (1/E) &
 It interacts with whole atom independent of atomic number!

Moderate-Energy X-ray Backscatter Radiation

 It interacts with electrons  X-rays scattered back in the direction of the
incident x-ray beam
High-Energy X-ray  It is responsible for the cassette-hinge image
 It interacts with nuclei
Compton scattering reduces image contrast!
Five Ways of X-ray Interaction With Matter
 Coherent, Compton, Photoelectric Effect, FEATURES OF COMPTON SCATTERING
Pair Production & Photodisintegration With outer-shell electron
Most likely to occur With loosely bound
Coherent Scattering electrons
 First described by J.J. Thompson Increased penetration
 Other Names: Classical or Thompson through tissue without
Scattering interaction
 Occur At: below 10 kEv x-rays As x-ray energy Increased Compton
 The incident x-ray interacts with a target increases scattering relative to
atom, causing it to become excited photoelectric effect
 Result: a change in x-ray direction without a Reduced Compton
change in its energy scattering (1/E)
 Scattered X-ray λ = Incident X-ray λ As atomic number of No effect on Compton
absorber increases scattering
Image Noise As mass density of Proportional increase in
 The general graying of an image absorber increases Compton scattering
 It reduces image contrast
Photoelectric Effect
Coherent scattering is of little importance to  The incident x-ray interacts with the inner-
diagnostic radiology! shell electron
 Photoelectron: ejected electron
Compton Effect/Scattering  Result: total x-ray energy is totally absorbed
 The incident x-ray interacts with the outer-  Energy: Ei = Eb + EKE
shell electron & ejects it from the atom  Characteristic x-rays are produced
 Compton/Secondary Electron: the ejected
electron The photoelectric effect is total x-ray
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 Result: a change in x-ray direction & absorption!

reduction of its energy
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 Scattered X-ray λ > Incident X-ray λ

 Energy: Ei = Es (Eb + EKE) The probability of the photoelectric effect is
o Ei = incident x-ray energy inversely proportional to the third power of the
o Es = scattered x-ray energy x-ray energy (1/E)3!
o Eb = electron binding energy
STEWART C. BUSHONG SUMMARIZED BY: MEYNARD Y. CASTRO
 CHAPTER 10
X-RAY INTERACTION WITH MATTER

FEATURES OF PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT

The probability of the photoelectric effect is With inner-shell electron
directly proportional to the third power of the With tightly bound
atomic number (Z3)! electrons
Most likely to occur
When x-ray energy is just
higher than electron
Z & K-SHELL Eb OF RADIOGRAPHICALLY binding energy (Eb)
IMPORTANT ELEMENTS Increased penetration
Atomic Electron Binding through tissue without
Element
Number (Z) Energy (Eb) interaction
Hydrogen 1 0.02 As x-ray energy Less photoelectric effect
Carbon 6 0.3 increases relative to Compton
Nitrogen 7 0.4 effect
Oxygen 8 0.5 Reduced absolute
Aluminum 13 1.6 photoelectric effect (1/E3)
Calcium 20 4.1 Increases proportionately
Molybdenum 42 19 As atomic number of
with the cube of atomic
Rhodium 45 23 absorber increases
number (Z3)
Iodine 53 33 As mass density of Proportional increase in
Barium 56 37 absorber increases photoelectric effect
Tungsten 74 69
Rhenium 75 72 Pair Production
Lead 82 88
 The incident x-ray interacts with the nuclear
force field
 Results: x-ray disappears & two electrons
EFFECTIVE Z OF MATERIALS with opposite charge appear (positron &
IMPORTANT TO RADIOLOGICAL SCIENCE electron)
Type of Substance Effective Z  Occur At: 1.02 MeV x-rays
HUMAN TISSUE  It is useful in PET
Fat 6.3
Soft Tissue 7.4
Pair production does not occur during x-ray
Lung 7.4
imaging!
Bone 13.8
CONTRAST MATERIAL Annihilation Radiation
Air 7.6
 A process wherein the mass of positron &
Iodine 53
electron is converted to energy
Barium 56
OTHER
Photodisintegration
Concrete 17
 The incident x-ray interacts directly into the
Molybdenum 42
nucleus
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Tungsten 74
Lead 82  Results: x-ray is absorbed by the nucleus &
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nucleon/nuclear fragment is emitted

 Occur At: 10 MeV x-rays

Photodisintegration does not occur in

diagnostic radiology!

STEWART C. BUSHONG SUMMARIZED BY: MEYNARD Y. CASTRO

 CHAPTER 10
X-RAY INTERACTION WITH MATTER

DIFFERENTIAL ABSORPTION CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENTIAL

ABSORPTION
Differential Absorption Fewer Compton
 Different degrees of absorption in different interactions (1/E)
tissues Many fewer
As x-ray energy
 Results: image contrast & formation of the photoelectric
increases
x-ray image interactions (1/E3)
 It occurs because of: More transmission
o Compton scattering through tissue
o Photoelectric effect No change in Compton
o X-rays transmitted through the interactions
patient (independent)
As tissue atomic
Many more
number increases
Three Types of X-ray Important in Making a photoelectric
Radiograph interactions (Z3)
 Those scattered by Compton interaction Less x-ray transmission
o Doesn’t provide diagnostic Proportional increase in
information Compton interactions
o Result: image noise As tissue mass density Proportional increase in
 Those absorbed photoelectrically increases photoelectric interaction
o Provides diagnostic information Proportional reduction
o Appearance: radiopaque in x-ray transmission
 Those transmitted by the patient without
interaction To image small differences in soft tissue, one
o Provides diagnostic information must use low kVp to get maximum differential
o Appearance: radiolucent absorption!

Two Other Factors Important in Making a Mass Density

Radiograph  The quantity of matter per unit volume
 X-ray emission spectrum  Units: kg/m3 or g/cm3
 Mass density of patient tissue  Water: 1000 kg/m3

Image Noise The interaction of x-rays with tissue is

 A generalized dulling of the image by x- proportional to the mass density of the tissue
rays not representing diagnostic information regardless of the type of interaction!

Radiographic Image CONTRAST EXAMINATION

 It results from approximately 0.5% of the x-
rays emitted by the x-ray tube Contrast Agent
 Compounds used as an aid for imaging
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internal organs with x-rays

Differential absorption increases as the kVp is  Positive Contrast Agent: higher Z than the
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reduced! surrounding tissue

e.g. barium (Z-56) & iodine (Z=53)
 Negative Contrast Agent: lower Z than the
surrounding tissue
e.g. air
STEWART C. BUSHONG SUMMARIZED BY: MEYNARD Y. CASTRO
 CHAPTER 10
X-RAY INTERACTION WITH MATTER

MASS DENSITY OF MATERIALS  An all-or-none condition for x-ray

IMPORTANT TO RADIOLOGIC SCIENCE interaction
Mass Density
Substance
(kg/m3) Scattering Process
HUMAN TISSUE  The interaction in which x-ray is partially
Lung 320 absorbed
Fat 910  Examples: Compton effect & coherent
Soft tissue, muscle 1000 scattering
Bone 1850
CONTRAST MATERIAL Attenuation
Air 1.3  The total reduction in the number of x-rays
Barium 3500 remaining in an x-ray beam after penetration
Iodine 4930 through a given thickness of tissue
OTHER
Calcium 1550
Concrete 2350 Attenuation is the product of absorption &
Molybdenum 10,200 scattering!
Lead 11,350
Rhenium 12,500
Tungstate 19,300

Low-kVp Technique
 It produces excellent high-contrast
radiographs of the organs of GI tract

High-kVp Technique
 It is used to outline the organ under
investigation & penetrate the CM to
visualized the lumen of the organ more
clearly

Double Contrast Examination

 Examination that uses air & barium for
contrast
 Examples: pneumoencephalography &
ventriculography

EXPONENTIAL ATTENUATION

Absorption Process
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 The interaction in which x-ray disappears

 Example: photoelectric interaction, pair
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production & photodisintegration

Absorption
 The removal of x-ray from a beam via the
photoelectric effect
STEWART C. BUSHONG SUMMARIZED BY: MEYNARD Y. CASTRO