L11 X Ray Part 1

ES97D/ES3H5 Biomedical Imaging and Medical Devices
Lecture 11 X-rays and Computed Tomography Part 1

Module leader Prof Joanna Collingwood, School of Engineering
J.F.Collingwood@warwick.ac.uk
Slides marked CK-UHCW are from/adapted from slides by Chris Koller, Consultant Clinical
Scientist, Head of Radiology Physics, UHCW NHS Trust, Chris.Koller@uhcw.nhs.uk
BEFORE WATCHING THIS LECTURE
In advance of this pair of lectures, please read Essentials of in vivo biomedical imaging
Chapter 2, Sections 2.1 & 2.2.
E-book available via Library website
http://encore.lib.warwick.ac.uk/iii/encore/record/Rb2851815

You will also have read Physics for Diagnostic Radiology – Chapter 1 Fundamentals of
Radiation Physics and Radioactivity in Week 1, but in case you want to refresh your
knowledge on this topic, the chapter (where Chapter 1 Sections 1.1 and 1.10-1.16
are important background for this part of the module) is available as a PDF in the
Week 1 downloads folder, it’s also hard-copy in the library and available online at
http://encore.lib.warwick.ac.uk/iii/encore/record/C__Rb3155843
Learning Outcomes for this pair of lectures
PART 1
1. DEFINE AND DESCRIBE the physics of how x-rays interact with matter to produce
image contrast in an x-ray of the human body
PART 2
2. UNDERSTAND AND USE THE CONCEPTS of radiation units and dose
3. DESCRIBE how x-rays are generated and detected, including impact of filtration
4. COMPARE AND CONTRAST 2D plain film imaging with 3D CT
5. DESCRIBE how a CT scanner works, including the reason for the use of slip rings
within the gantry

You will also have read Physics for Diagnostic Radiology – Chapter 1 Fundamentals of
Radiation Physics and Radioactivity in Week 1, but in case you want to refresh your
knowledge on this topic, the chapter (where Chapter 1 Sections 1.1 and 1.10-1.16
are important background for this part of the module) is available as a PDF in the
Week 1 downloads folder, it’s also hard-copy in the library and available online at
http://encore.lib.warwick.ac.uk/iii/encore/record/C__Rb3155843
CK-UHCW
Overview
• X-rays and Interaction with Matter
• Radiation Units & Dose
• Generation of X-rays & Spectra
• Plain X-ray Imaging
• CT Technology
• Principles of CT
• Image Reconstruction
• Dose Optimisation
• Spectral CT
CK-UHCW
What is Radiation?
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone-radiation1.htm
CK-UHCW
Electromagnetic Radiation - Background

• Electromagnetic waves - transverse waves consist of a rapidly
oscillating electric and magnetic fields.
• c = f
• They are not influenced by electric or magnetic fields
• They travel in straight lines
• They are attenuated as the pass through matter
• They obey the inverse square law
• Wave / particle duality E = hf Boltzmann constant
h = 1.381 × 10-23 m2 kg s-2 K-1
CK-UHCW
Attenuation, Scatter and Absorption
• As an X-ray beam passes though matter it is attenuated, I.e the

intensity of the X-ray beam is reduced
• The processes of this are absorption and scatter
• Absorption is where X-ray photons are removed from the beam and
the energy is deposited in the matter
• Scatter is where X-ray photons are removed from the beam, as their
direction is changed, and there can be some absorption involved as
well
CK-UHCW
CK-UHCW
Attenuation
• Attenuation is a random process and hence follows an exponential
decay law.
• Equal thickness’ of matter absorb equal fractions of the incident
radiation
• Half value layer (HVL) is the thickness of material required to
attenuate a narrow beam of X-rays by 50 %
CK-UHCW
Attenuation
• Attenuation is a random process and hence follows an exponential
decay law.
• Equal thickness’ of matter absorb equal fractions of the incident
radiation
• Half value layer (HVL) is the thickness of material required to
attenuate a narrow beam of X-rays by 50 %
CK-UHCW
Attenuation - 2
I = I 0 e − x
I0 = intensity of the incident radiation

 = linear attenuation coefficient
x = thickness of material
• x or  rays interact in a number of different ways

• They can interact with both electrons and the nucleus, however as the
nucleus is so small the most likely interaction is with electrons
CK-UHCW
Elastic Scatter
• Elastic scatter or coherent scatter is a process where a incident
photon passes close to an electron, causing it to vibrate and absorb
the photon
• This vibrating electron then re-radiates the photon a short time later,
but in a different direction
• The result is scatter without absorption
• This process occurs at low photon energies E = 1-30 keV
• Interaction probability  1/E
• Interaction probability  Z2 (heavy nucleus rqd.)
CK-UHCW
Compton Effect
• Compton scatter is a process where an
incident photon bounces off a free
electron
• The energy of the photon is reduced, and
it has changed direction
• The result is scatter and absorption
• The interaction probability falls gradually
with E
• Interaction probability depends upon
electron density, which is broadly similar
for most materials, and hence
independent of Z
CK-UHCW
Photoelectric Effect
• The photoelectric effect occurs where an incident photon is totally

absorbed by a bound electron
• The electron has enough energy to leave the atom (ionization)
• The result is absorption
• Requires nucleus present to conserve momentum. The more tightly
bound the electrons the greater the interaction probability  Z3
• Interaction probability also falls with energy  1/E3
CK-UHCW
M
Absorption Edges L
K
• As the photon energy is increased

the interaction probability decreases,
Log scale
until the binding energy of a shell is
reached. Then there is a rapid
increase in the interaction probability
• K edge filters important in x-ray
production, imaging phosphors and
contrast media
CK-UHCW
Interactions Graph
• For X-ray imaging the image on the

film depicts the differing absorption
of the patient
• Contrast is the difference in
absorption for different tissue types
• Try to maximize this by choosing
the most appropriate energy
• Above 50 keV: Compton scatter
dominates ➔ energy needlessly
deposited into tissue without benefit
of contrast between soft tissue and
bone.
CK-UHCW
Interactions Graph
• For X-ray imaging the image on the

film depicts the differing absorption
of the patient
• Contrast is the difference in
absorption for different tissue types
• Try to maximize this by choosing
the most appropriate energy
• Above 50 keV: Compton scatter
dominates ➔ energy needlessly
deposited into tissue without benefit
of contrast between soft tissue and
bone.
END OF PART 1
TO BE CONTINUED IN LECTURE 12

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ES97D/ES3H5 Biomedical Imaging and Medical Devices

Lecture 11 X-rays and Computed Tomography Part 1

Electromagnetic Radiation - Background

Attenuation, Scatter and Absorption

• As an X-ray beam passes though matter it is attenuated, I.e the

I0 = intensity of the incident radiation

• x or  rays interact in a number of different ways

• The photoelectric effect occurs where an incident photon is totally

• As the photon energy is increased

• For X-ray imaging the image on the

• For X-ray imaging the image on the

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