Fundamentals of

Imaging
RAD 206
X-ray Interaction with matter
Chapter 9

Prepared by: Ms. Marwa Abbas

Objectives
▪ Describe the five x-ray interactions with
matter.

▪ Define differential absorption.

▪ Explain the effect of atomic number and

mass density of tissue on differential
absorption.
 X-ray Interactions
Interactions have wavelike and particle like properties.

The higher the energy of the x-ray, the shorter the wavelength.

Electromagnetic Radiation interacts with structures with

similar size to the wavelength of the radiation.
1.Low energy x-rays interact with whole atoms.
2.Moderate energy x-rays interact with electrons.
3.High energy x-rays interact with the nuclei
 Five Major forms of
X-ray Interactions
Classical or Coherent Scattering
Compton Effect
Photoelectric Effect
Pair production
Photodisintegration
Classical or Coherent Scattering
Classical or Coherent Scattering

X-rays of energy below 10 keV

Incident photon interacts with the atom
There is no Ionization, only Excitation
There is a change in Direction but no
change in Energy.
Classical or Coherent Scattering
At 70 kVp a small percent of the x-rays
undergo coherent scattering, which
contributes slightly to image noise, the
general graying of an image that reduces
image contrast.
Compton Effect
 Compton Effect
Moderate energy x-ray photon through out the
diagnostic x-ray range can interact with outer shell
electron.
This interaction:
- Changes the direction
- Reduces its energy
- Causes ionization of the atom
- The outer shell electron is ejected
This is called Compton Effect or Compton
Scattering.
 Compton Scattering
▪ The energy imparted to the electron is equal to
its binding energy plus the kinetic with which it
leaves the atom.
▪ During Compton-scattering most of the energy is
divided between the scattered photon and the
secondary electron.
▪ The Secondary Electron is called a Compton
Electron.
▪The x-ray continues in an altered direction with
decreased energy.
The energy of the Compton-scattered x-ray
is equal to the difference between the
energy of the incident x-ray and the energy
imparted to the electron.

+
 Compton Scattering
The scattered photon will retain most of
its energy so it can interact many times
before it loses all of its energy.
➢The scattered photon will ultimately be
absorbed photoelectrically.
➢The secondary electron will drop into a
hole in the outer shell of an atom created by
an ionizing event.
 Compton Scattering
➢Compton-scattered photons can be deflected
in any direction.
➢A zero angle deflection will result in no energy
loss.
➢As the angle approaches 180 degrees, more
energy is transferred to the secondary electron.
➢Even at 180 degrees, 66% of the energy is
retained.
Photons scattered back towards the incident x-
ray beam are called Backscatter Radiation.
Compton Scattering
Photoelectric Effect
 Photoelectric Effect
X-rays in the diagnostic range can
undergo ionizing interactions with
inner shell electron of the target
atom.
It is not scattered but totally
absorbed.
Photoelectric Effect
The electron removed from the atom is
called a photoelectron.
It escapes with kinetic energy equal to the
difference between the energy of the
incident x-ray and the binding energy of the
electron
 Photoelectric Effect

Photoelectron Kinetic Energy will be nearly equal to

the Incident photon Energy

Photoelectron Kinetic Energy will be proportionally

lower than the Incident photon Energy
Characteristic x-rays are produced following
a photoelectric interaction.
These characteristic x-rays are also
secondary radiation and acts like scatter.
 Photoelectric Effect
The probability of a photoelectric
interaction is a function of the photon
energy and the atomic number of the
target atom.
A photoelectric interaction can not occur
unless the incident x-ray has energy equal
to or greater than the electron binding
energy.
 Photoelectric Effect
The probability of photoelectric interaction is
inversely proportional to the third power of
the photon energy.
The probability of photoelectric interaction is
directly proportional to the third power of
the atomic number of the absorbing
material
 Pair Production
The interaction between the x-ray and the
nuclear field causes the x-ray to
disappear, and in its place, two electrons
appear
Pair Production
 Pair Production
It take an incident photon a minimum energy
of 1.02 MeV to undergo a Pair Production.
Pair Production
Electron Positron
Ionization Unites with a
Excitation free electron

Both masses
Fills a
is converted
vacancy
to energy
Photodisintegration
 Photodisintegration
X-rays with energy above approximately 10
MeV can escape interaction with electrons
and the nuclear field and be absorbed
directly by the nucleus.
The nucleus is raised to an excited state
and instantly emits a nucleon or other
nuclear fragment.
 DIFFERENTIAL ABSORPTION
Differential absorption occurs because of
Compton scattering, photoelectric effect, and
x-rays transmitted through the patient.

Attenuation is the product of absorption

and scattering.
DIFFERENTIAL ABSORPTION
 Radiopaque Structures
X-rays that undergo photoelectric interaction
provide diagnostic information to the image
receptor.

They do not reach the image receptor, so these x-

rays are representative of anatomical structures
with high x-ray absorption characteristics.

The photoelectric absorption of x-rays produces the

light areas in a radiograph, such as bone.
Radiolucent Structures
Occurs in case of x-rays that
penetrate the body and are
transmitted to the image receptor
with no interaction. They produce
the dark areas of a radiograph.
 DIFFERENTIAL ABSORPTION
and kvp

➢Producing a high-quality radiograph requires the

proper selection of kVp.
➢Differential absorption increases as the kVp is
reduced.
➢Reducing the kVp to increase differential
absorption and therefore image contrast results in
increased patient radiation dose, so, a compromise is
necessary.
 DIFFERENTIAL ABSORPTION
and atomic number

➢ Compton scattering is independent of the atomic

number of tissue. The probability of Compton
scattering for bone atoms and for soft tissue
atoms is approximately equal and decreases with
increasing x-ray energy.
 DIFFERENTIAL ABSORPTION
and mass density
➢ The interaction of x-rays with tissue is
proportional to the mass density of the
tissue regardless of the type of
interaction.
➢ Mass density is the quantity of matter per unit
volume, specified in units of kilograms per
cubic meter (kg/m3 ).
EXPONENTIAL ATTENUATION
➢ Attenuation is the total reduction in the number of
x-rays remaining in an x-ray beam after
penetration through a given thickness of tissue. It
is the product of absorption and scattering.

➢ X-rays are attenuated exponentially, which means

that they do not have a fixed range in tissue. They
are reduced in number by a given percentage for
each incremental thickness of tissue they go
through.