Polarization effects on multiple scattering gamma transport

Compton suppression through rise-time analysis

We studied Compton suppression for 60Co and 137Cs radioisotopes using a signal selection criterion based on contrasting the fall time of the signals composing the photo peak with those composing the Compton continuum. The fall time criterion is employed by using the pulse shape analysis observing the change in the fall times of the gamma-ray pulses. This change is determined by measuring the changes in the rise times related to the fall time of the scintillator and the timing signals related to the fall time of the input signals. We showed that Compton continuum suppression is achieved best via the precise timing adjustment of an analog rise-time analyzer connected to a NaI(Tl) scintillation spectrometer.

Photon backscattering tissue characterization by energy dispersive spectroscopy evaluations

Techniques for in vivo tissue characterization based on scattered photons have usually been confined to evaluating coherent and Compton peaks. However, information can also be obtained from the energy analysis of the Compton scattered distribution. This paper looks at the extension of a technique validated by the authors for characterizing tissues composed of low-atomic-number elements. To this end, an EDXRS (energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry) computer simulation procedure was performed and applied to test the validity of a figure of merit able to characterize binary compounds. This figure of merit is based on the photon fluence values in a restricted energy interval of the measured distribution of incoherently scattered photons. After careful experimental tests with 59.54 keV incident photons at scattering angles down to 60degrees, the simulation procedure was applied to quasi-monochromatic and polychromatic high-radiance sources. The results show that the characterization by the figure of merit, which operates satisfactorily with monochromatic sources, is unsatisfactory in the latter cases, which seem to favour a different parameter for compound characterization.

Monte Carlo methods for the in vivo analysis of cisplatin using X-ray fluorescence

A Monte Carlo method has been used to model the measurement of cisplatin uptake with in vivo X-ray fluorescence. A user-code has been written for the EGS4 Monte Carlo system that incorporates linear polarisation and multiple element fluorescence extensions. The yield of fluorescent photons to the mainly Compton scattered background is computed for our detector arrangement. The detector consists of a mutually orthogonal arrangement of X-ray tube, aluminium polariser and high purity germanium scintillation detector. The influence of tube voltage on the minimum detectable concentration is modelled for 100 through 150 kVp X-radiation. The code is able to predict absorbed dose to the patient which will influence the optimal choice of tube voltage. The influence of alterations to collimator design and scatterer construction can also be examined. A minimum detectable concentration of 50 ppm is determined from measurements with a 115 kVp X-ray source and a 615 ppm cisplatin sample in a water phantom.