Improved ratio method for x-ray densitometry

Geoffrey L. Harding; R. Armstrong; Sharon M. McDaid; Malcolm J. Cooper

doi:10.1117/12.180022

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12 July 1994 Improved ratio method for x-ray densitometry

Geoffrey L. Harding, R. Armstrong, Sharon M. McDaid, Malcolm J. Cooper

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Proceedings Volume 2278, X-Ray and UV Detectors; (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.180022
Event: SPIE's 1994 International Symposium on Optics, Imaging, and Instrumentation, 1994, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

The ratio method, in which the elastic x-ray scatter signal I_e from a localized region of bulk material is normalized against the Compton scatter I_c, has been widely evaluated as a densitometric technique for evaluating mean atomic number. An analysis is presented of two major error sources influencing the ratio method. It is shown that a forward scattering geometry minimizes errors of both types for substances composed of low and medium Z elements. We describe a novel technique in which a K edge filter is used to separate small angle elastic and Compton scatter induced in a sample on irradiation with the FLUOREX fluorescent x-ray source. The feasibility of this method is demonstrated by first experimental results. The potential application of this technique to the problem of explosives detection is briefly discussed.

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Geoffrey L. Harding, R. Armstrong, Sharon M. McDaid, and Malcolm J. Cooper "Improved ratio method for x-ray densitometry", Proc. SPIE 2278, X-Ray and UV Detectors, (12 July 1994); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.180022

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