Center of Biomedical Engineering Medical Radiation Physics (Phys-2223)

Center of Biomedical Engineering
Medical Radiation Physics [Phys-2223]
By Nardos Hailu
• When traversing matter, photons may penetrate without
interaction, scatter, or get absorbed

• Four major types of interactions
1. Rayleigh scattering
2. Compton scattering
3. Photoelectric absorption
4. Pair production
• First three play a great role in diagnostic radiology and

nuclear medicine
1. Rayleigh Scattering
• The incident photon interacts with and excites the total atom
• Occurs mainly with very low energy x-rays, such as those used in
mammography (15 to 30 keV)

• The electric field of the incident photon’s EMW causes all of the
electrons in the scattering atom to oscillate in phase
• The atom’s electron cloud immediately radiates this energy, emitting

a photon of the same energy but in a slightly different direction

Rayleigh Scattering
Rayleigh Scattering
• Electrons are not ejected, thus, ionization does not occur
• In general, the average scattering angle decreases as the x-ray energy increases

• In medical imaging, detection of the scattered x-ray will have a damaging effect on image
quality.
• However, they have a low probability of occurrence in the diagnostic energy range
• In soft tissue, it accounts for < 5% of x-ray interactions above 70 keV

• At most only accounts for about 10% of interactions at 30 keV
• Aka ‘coherent’ or ‘classical’ scattering

2. Compton Scattering
• Also inelastic or non-classical scattering
• Predominant interaction in the diagnostic energy range

with soft tissue from 26keV to 30MeV

• Most likely occurs between photons and valence
electrons
• Electron ejected from the atom, and scattered photon

emitted with less energy relative to incident photon
Compton Scattering
Compton Scattering
• Both energy and momentum conserved
i.e. 𝐸0 = 𝐸𝑠 + 𝐸𝑒−
• Incident photon energy equals the sum of scattered photon energy
and KE of ejected electrons
• Binding energy of ejected electron is comparatively small and can be

ignored.
• The ejected electron will lose its KE via excitation and ionization of atoms in
the surrounding material
• The Compton scattered photon may traverse the medium without

interaction
Compton Scattering
• It may also undergo subsequent interactions
such as other Compton scattering photoelectric
absorption or Rayleigh scattering
• 𝐸𝑠 can be calculated from 𝐸0 and the angle of
the scattered photon,θ, wrt incident trajectory:
Compton Scattering
• As 𝐸0 increases, both scattered photons and electrons are scattered more
toward the forward direction

• These photons are much more likely to be detected by the image receptor
in x-ray transmission imaging
• For a given θ, the fraction of energy transferred to the scattered photon

decreases with increasing incident photon energy
Ex. θ = 60°, 𝑬𝒔𝒄 = 90% of 𝑬𝟎 at 100keV but only 17% at 5 MeV
• Thus, for higher energy incident photons, the majority of the energy is
transferred to the scattered electron
Compton Scattering
• Scattering angle and energy transfer are limited by the law of conservation of
energy and momentum
E.g. At 180° photon scatter (backscatter), maximal energy transfer to the Compton
electron (and thus, the maximum reduction in incident photon energy) occurs
• 𝐸𝑠 limited b/n 511 keV at 90° and 255 keV at 180°
• The scattering angle of the ejected electron ≤ 90°
• The scattering angle of the scattered photon can be any value
• But, usually the energy of the ejected electron is absorbed near the
scattering site
Factors Affecting Probability of Compton
Interaction
• 𝐸0 must be >> binding energy
Probability ↑ as 𝐸0 ↑
• Also depends on the electron density (number of electrons/g)

- Compared to other elements, the absence of neutrons in the hydrogen
atom results in an approximate doubling of electron density
- Thus, hydrogenous materials have a higher probability of Compton
scattering than an hydrogenous material of equal mass
• Probability/mass is nearly independent of Z
• Compton scattering probability/volume is approximately proportional to the

density of the material
3. The Photoelectric Effect
• All of the incident photon energy is transferred to an electron, which
is ejected from the atom

• The KE of the ejected photoelectron (𝐸𝑝𝑒) is equal to the incident photon energy (𝐸0) minus the
binding energy of the orbital electron (𝐸) :
𝐸𝑝𝑒 = 𝐸0 - 𝐸
• For photoelectric absorption to occur, 𝐸0 ≥ 𝐸
• The ejected electron is most likely the one whose 𝐸 is closest to, but less than, the incident photon
energy
• Following a photoelectric interaction, the atom is ionized, with an inner shell electron vacancy which
will be filled by an electron from a shell with a lower 𝐸

• This creates another vacancy, which, in turn, is filled by an electron from an even lower binding
energy shell
The Photoelectric Effect
• Thus, an electron cascade occurs, from outer to inner shells
• The difference in binding energy between energy levels is released as either
characteristic x-rays or Auger electrons
4. Pair Production
• Occurs when photon energies exceed 1.02 MeV
• Photon interacts with the electric field of the nucleus of an atom
• The photon’s energy is transformed into an electron-positron pair
• The rest mass energy equivalent of each electron is 0.511 MeV
• Photon energy in excess of this threshold is imparted to the electron (β- or negatron) and positron as kinetic
energy
• When the positron comes to rest, it interacts with a -vely charged electron, resulting in the formation of two
oppositely directed 0.511-MeV annihilation photons

• Pair production does not occur in diagnostic x-ray imaging, coz of low
energy used
Pair Production
A. High-energy incident photon, under

the influence of the atomic nucleus, is converted to an
electron-positron pair. Both electrons (positron and
negatron) expend their KE by excitation and
ionization in the matter they traverse thru
B.When the positron comes to rest, it combines with
an electron producing two 511-keV annihilation
radiation photons

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Center of Biomedical Engineering

Medical Radiation Physics [Phys-2223]

• First three play a great role in diagnostic radiology and

• The atom’s electron cloud immediately radiates this energy, emitting

• In soft tissue, it accounts for < 5% of x-ray interactions above 70 keV

• Aka ‘coherent’ or ‘classical’ scattering

• Predominant interaction in the diagnostic energy range

• Electron ejected from the atom, and scattered photon

• Binding energy of ejected electron is comparatively small and can be

• The Compton scattered photon may traverse the medium without

• For a given θ, the fraction of energy transferred to the scattered photon

• 𝐸𝑠 limited b/n 511 keV at 90° and 255 keV at 180°

• The scattering angle of the ejected electron ≤ 90°

• The scattering angle of the scattered photon can be any value

• Also depends on the electron density (number of electrons/g)

• Probability/mass is nearly independent of Z

• Compton scattering probability/volume is approximately proportional to the

• For photoelectric absorption to occur, 𝐸0 ≥ 𝐸

• Photon interacts with the electric field of the nucleus of an atom

• The photon’s energy is transformed into an electron-positron pair

• The rest mass energy equivalent of each electron is 0.511 MeV

A. High-energy incident photon, under

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