Direct Measurement of Mammographic X-Ray Spectra with a Digital CdTe Detection System

Sensors

Leonardo Abbene¹  Gaetano Gerardi¹  Fabio Principato¹  Stefano Del Sordo² 

[1] Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Palermo,Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 18, Palermo 90128, Italy; E-Mails:;INAF/IASF Palermo, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo 90146, Italy; E-Mail:

关键词: X-ray spectroscopy;    high photon counting rate;    CdTe detectors;    digital pulse processing;    mammography;   

DOI  :  10.3390/s120608390

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

In this work we present a detection system, based on a CdTe detector and an innovative digital pulse processing (DPP) system, for high-rate X-ray spectroscopy in mammography (1–30 keV). The DPP system performs a height and shape analysis of the detector pulses, sampled and digitized by a 14-bit, 100 MHz ADC. We show the results of the characterization of the detection system both at low and high photon counting rates by using monoenergetic X-ray sources and a nonclinical X-ray tube. The detection system exhibits excellent performance up to 830 kcps with an energy resolution of 4.5% FWHM at 22.1 keV. Direct measurements of clinical molybdenum X-ray spectra were carried out by using a pinhole collimator and a custom alignment device. A comparison with the attenuation curves and the half value layer values, obtained from the measured and simulated spectra, from an ionization chamber and from a solid state dosimeter, also shows the accuracy of the measurements. These results make the proposed detection system a very attractive tool for both laboratory research, calibration of dosimeters and advanced quality controls in mammography.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2012 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland