Premium
Comparison of two portable solid state detectors with an improved collimation and alignment device for mammographic x‐ray spectroscopy
Author(s) -
Bottigli U.,
Golosio B.,
Masala G. L.,
Oliva P.,
Stumbo S.,
Delogu P.,
Fantacci M. E.,
Abbene L.,
Fauci F.,
Raso G.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.2229431
Subject(s) - cadmium zinc telluride , detector , pinhole (optics) , collimator , collimated light , optics , spectroscopy , materials science , spectral line , medical physics , physics , optoelectronics , laser , quantum mechanics , astronomy
We describe a portable system for mammographic x‐ray spectroscopy, based on a 2 × 2 × 1mm 3cadmium telluride ( CdTe ) solid state detector, that is greatly improved over a similar system based on a 3 × 3 × 2mm 3cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) solid state detector evaluated in an earlier work. The CdTe system utilized new pinhole collimators and an alignment device that facilitated measurement of mammographic x‐ray spectra. Mammographic x‐ray spectra acquired by each system were comparable. Half value layer measurements obtained using an ion chamber agreed closely with those derived from the x‐ray spectra measured by either detector. The faster electronics and other features of the CdTe detector allowed its use with a larger pinhole collimator than could be used with the CZT detector. Additionally, the improved pinhole collimator and alignment features of the apparatus permitted much more rapid setup for acquisition of x‐ray spectra than was possible on the system described in the earlier work. These improvements in detector technology, collimation and ease of alignment, as well as low cost, make this apparatus attractive as a tool for both laboratory research and advanced mammography quality control.