L5 Interaction of Radiation With Matter

IAEA Training Material on Radiation Protection in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology
RADIATION PROTECTION IN
DIAGNOSTIC AND
INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY
L 5: Interaction of radiation with matter
IAEA
International Atomic Energy Agency
Topics
Introduction to the atomic basic structure

Quantities and units
Bremsstrahlung production
Characteristic X Rays
Primary and secondary ionization
Photo-electric effect and Compton scattering
Beam attenuation and half value thickness
Principle of radiological image formation
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5: Interaction of radiation with matter
Overview
To become familiar with the basic
knowledge in radiation physics and image
formation process.
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Part 5: Interaction of radiation with

matter
Topic 1: Introduction to the atomic basic structure
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Electromagnetic spectrum
E
1.5
0.12 keV 1
3 eV
IR light
8000 4000
10
102
103
104
X and rays
UV
100
10
0.1
IR: infrared, UV = ultraviolet

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keV
0.01 0.001
Angstrm
The atomic structure

The nuclear structure
protons and neutrons = nucleons
Z protons with a positive electric charge
(1.6 10-19 C)
neutrons with no charge (neutral)
number of nucleons = mass number A
The extranuclear structure

Z electrons (light particles with electric
charge)
equal to proton charge but negative
The atom is normally electrically

neutral
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matter
Topic 2: Quantities and units
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Basic units in physics (SI system)
Time: 1 second [s]

Length: 1 meter [m]
Mass: 1 kilogram [kg]
Energy: 1 joule [J]
Electric charge: 1 coulomb
[C]
Other quantities and units
Power: 1 watt [W] (1 J/s)
1 mAs = 0.001 C
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Quantities and units

electron-volt [eV]:
1.603 10-19 J
1 keV = 103 eV
1 MeV = 106 eV
1 electric charge: 1.6
10-19 C
mass of proton: 1.672
10-27 kg
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Atom characteristics
A, Z and associated quantities
Hydrogen
A=1
Z=1
EK= 13.6 eV
Carbon
A = 12
Z=6
EK= 283 eV
Phosphor
A = 31
Z = 15
EK= 2.1 keV
Tungsten
A = 183
Z = 74
EK= 69.5 keV
Uranium
A = 238
Z = 92
EK= 115.6 keV
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matter
Topic 3: Bremsstrahlung production
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Electron-nucleus interaction (I)
Bremsstrahlung:
radiative energy loss (E) by electrons
slowing down on passage through a
material
is the deceleration of the incident
electron by the nuclear Coulomb
field
radiation energy (E) (photon) is
emitted.
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Electrons strike the nucleus
Bremsstrahlung
spectrum
E
n(E)
n1E1
n2E2
n3E3
n1
n2
n3
E1
E2
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Emax
E1
E3
E2
E3
Electron-nucleus interaction (II)

With materials of high atomic number
the energy loss is higher
The energy loss by Bremsstrahlung

> 99% of kinetic E loss as heat production, it increases
with increasing electron energy
X Rays are dominantly produced by

Bremsstrahlung
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Bremsstrahlung continuous spectrum

Energy (E) of Bremsstrahlung photons may take
any value between zero and the maximum
kinetic energy of incident electrons
Number of photons as a function of E is

proportional to 1/E
Thick target continuous linear spectrum
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Bremsstrahlung spectra
dN/dE (spectral density)
E0 E
From a thin target
dN/dE
E0
E
From a thick target
E0= energy of electrons, E = energy of emitted photons

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X Ray spectrum energy

Maximum energy of Bremsstrahlung photons
kinetic energy of incident electrons
In X Ray spectrum of radiology installations:

Max (energy) = Energy at X Ray tube peak voltage
E
Bremsstrahlung
50 100 150 200
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Bremsstrahlung
after filtration
keV
keV
Ionization and associated energy

transfers
Example: electrons in water
ionization energy: 16 eV (for a water molecule
other energy transfers associated to ionization
excitations (each requires only a few eV)
thermal transfers (at even lower energy)
W = 32 eV is the average loss per ionization

it is characteristic of the medium
independent of incident particle and of its energy
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matter
Topic 4: Characteristic X Rays
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Spectral distribution of characteristic

X Rays (I)
Starts with ejection of e- mainly from k shell (also
possible for L, M,) by ionization

e- from L or M shell fall into the vacancy created in
the k shell
Energy difference is emitted as photons
A sequence of successive electron transitions
between energy levels
Energy of emitted photons is characteristic of the
atom
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Spectral distribution of characteristic

X Rays (II)
Energy
(eV)
K1
100
- 20
- 70
- 590
- 2800
- 11000
- 69510
80
P
O
N
M
6
5
4
3
2
40
L L
20
K
0
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K2
60
K2
10 20
K1
30 40
50 60
70 80
(keV)

matter
Topic 5: Primary and secondary ionization
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Stopping power
Loss of energy along track through both collisions and

Bremsstrahlung
The linear stopping power of the medium
S = E / x [MeV.cm-1]
E: energy loss
x: element of track
for distant collisions: the lower the electron energy, the

higher the amount transferred
most Bremsstrahlung photons are of low energy
collisions (hence ionization) are the main source of
energy loss
except at high energies or in media of high Z
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Linear Energy Transfer
Biological effectiveness of ionizing
radiation
Linear Energy Transfer (LET): amount
of energy transferred to the medium per
unit of track length of the particle
Unit: e.g. [keV.m-1]
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matter
Topic 6: Photoelectric effect and Compton
scattering
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Photoelectric effect
Incident photon with energy h

all photon energy absorbed by a tightly bound
orbital electron
ejection of electron from the atom

Kinetic energy of ejected electron: E = h - EB
Condition: h > EB (electron binding energy)

Recoil of the residual atom
Attenuation (or interaction) coefficient
photoelectric absorption coefficient
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Factors influencing photoelectric

effect
Photon energy (h) > electron binding energy EB
The probability of interaction decreases as h
increases
It is the main effect at low photon energies
The probability of interaction increases with Z3 (Z:
atomic number)
High-Z materials are strong X Ray absorber
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Compton scattering
Interaction between photon and electron
h = Ea + Es (energy is conserved)
Ea: energy transferred to the atom
Es: energy of the scattered photon
momentum is conserved in angular distributions
At low energy, most of initial energy is scattered

ex: Es > 80% (h) if h <1 keV
Increasing Z increasing probability of interaction.

Compton is practically independent of Z in diagnostic
range
The probability of interaction decreases as h increases
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Compton scattering and tissue

density
Variation of Compton effect according to:
energy (related to X Ray tube kV) and material
lower E Compton scattering process 1/E
Increasing E decreasing photon deviation angle

Mass attenuation coefficient constant with Z
effect proportional to the electron density in the medium
small variation with atomic number (Z)
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matter
Topic 7: Beam attenuation and Half value
thickness
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Exponential attenuation law of

photons (I)
Any interaction change in photon energy and or

direction
Accounts for all effects: Compton, photoelectric,
dI/I = - dx
Ix = I0 exp (- x)
I: number of photons per unit area per second [s-1]

: the linear attenuation coefficient [m-1]
/ [m2.kg-1]: mass attenuation coefficient
[kg.m-3]: material density
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Attenuation coefficients
Linear attenuation depends on:
characteristics of the medium (density )
photon beam energy
Mass attenuation coefficient: / [m2kg-1]
/ same for water and water vapor (different )

/ similar for air and water (different )
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Attenuation of an heterogeneous
beam
Various energies No more exponential
attenuation
Progressive elimination of photons through the
matter
Lower energies preferentially
This effect is used in the design of filters
Beam hardening effect
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Half Value Layer (HVL)
HVL: thickness reducing beam intensity by 50%

Definition holds strictly for monoenergetic beams
Heterogeneous beam hardening effect
I/I0 = 1/2 = exp (- HVL)
HVL = 0.693 /
HVL depends on material and photon energy
HVL characterizes beam quality
modification of beam quality through filtration
HVL (filtered beam) HVL (beam before filter)
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Photon interactions with matter

Scattered photon
Compton effect
Secondary
photons
Fluorescence photon
(Characteristic radiation)
Annihilation photon
Incident
photons
Non interacting photons

Recoil electron
Secondary
electrons
Photoelectron
(Photoelectric effect)
Electron pair
E > 1.02 MeV
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(simplified
representation)
Dependence on Z and photon energy

Z < 10 predominating Compton effect
higher Z increase photoelectric effect
at low E: photoelectric effect predominates in bone compared
to soft tissue
(total photon absorption)
contrast products photoelectric absorption

high Z (Barium 56, Iodine 53)
use of photoelectric absorption in radiation protection
ex: lead (Z = 82) for photons (E > 0.5 MeV)
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matter
Topic 8: Principle of radiological image formation
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X Ray penetration and attenuation in

human tissues
Attenuation of an X Ray beam:
air:
negligible
bone:
significant due to relatively high
density (atom mass number of Ca)
soft tissue (e.g. muscle,.. ): similar to water
fat tissue: less important than water
lungs:
weak due to density
bones can allow to visualize lung structures with higher kVp
(reducing photoelectric effect)
body cavities are made visible by means of contrast products
(iodine, barium).
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X Ray penetration in human tissues

60 kV - 50 mAs
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70 kV - 50 mAs
80 kV - 50 mAs

Improvement of image contrast (lung)
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Improvement of image contrast (bone)
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70 kV - 25 mAs
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70 kV - 50 mAs
70 kV - 80 mAs
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Purpose of using contrast media

To make visible soft tissues normally transparent
to X Rays
To enhance the contrast within a specific organ
To improve the image quality
Main used substances
Barium: abdominal parts
Iodine: urography, angiography, etc.
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X Ray absorption characteristics of

iodine, barium and body soft tissue
X Ray ATTENUATION COEFFICIENT (cm2 g-1)
100
10
(keV)
0.1
20
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30
40
50 60 70 80 90 100
Photoelectric absorption and

radiological image
In soft or fat tissues (close to water), at low
energies (E< 25 - 30 keV)
The photoelectric effect predominates
main contributor to image formation on
the radiographic film
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Contribution of photoelectric and Compton interactions

to attenuation of X Rays in water (muscle)
10
1.0
Total
0.1
Compton + Coherent
Photoelectric
0.01
20
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40
60
80
100
120
(keV)
140
Contribution of photoelectric and Compton interactions

to attenuation of X Rays in bone
10
1.0
Total
0.1
0.01
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Compton + Coherent
Photoelectric
20
40
60
80
100
120
(keV)
140

Higher kVp reduces
photoelectric effect
The image contrast is lowered

Bones and lungs structures can
simultaneously be visualized
Note: body cavities can be
made visible by means of

contrast media: iodine, barium
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Effect of Compton scattering

Effects of scattered radiation on:
image quality
patient absorbed energy
scattered radiation in the room
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Summary
The elemental parts of the atom constituting
both the nucleus and the extranucleus
structure can be schematically represented.
Electrons and photons have different types of
interactions with matter
Two different forms of X Rays production
Bremsstrahlung and characteristic radiation
contribute to the image formation process.
Photoelectric and Compton effects have a
significant influence on the image quality.
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Where to Get More Information (1)

Part 2: Lecture on Radiation quantities and Units
Attix FH. Introduction to radiological physics and
radiation dosimetry. New York, NY: John Wiley &
Sons, 1986. 607 pp. ISBN 0-47101-146-0.
Johns HE, Cunningham JR. Solution to selected
problems form the physics of radiology 4th edition.
Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, 1991.
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Where to Get More Information (2)

Wahlstrom B. Understanding Radiation.
Madison, WI: Medical Physics Publishing,
1995. ISBN 0-944838-62-6.
Evans RD. The atomic nucleus. Malabar,
FL: R.E. Kriege, 1982 (originally 1955) ISBN
0-89874-414-8.
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L5 Interaction of Radiation With Matter

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IAEA Training Material on Radiation Protection in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

Introduction to the atomic basic structure

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

IAEA Training Material on Radiation Protection in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

Part 5: Interaction of radiation with

IR: infrared, UV = ultraviolet

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

The atomic structure

The extranuclear structure

The atom is normally electrically

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

IAEA Training Material on Radiation Protection in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

Part 5: Interaction of radiation with

Basic units in physics (SI system)

Time: 1 second [s]

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

Quantities and units

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

EK= 2.1 keV

EK= 69.5 keV

EK= 115.6 keV

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

IAEA Training Material on Radiation Protection in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

Part 5: Interaction of radiation with

Electron-nucleus interaction (I)

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

Electrons strike the nucleus

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

Electron-nucleus interaction (II)

The energy loss by Bremsstrahlung

X Rays are dominantly produced by

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

Bremsstrahlung continuous spectrum

Number of photons as a function of E is

Thick target continuous linear spectrum

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

E0= energy of electrons, E = energy of emitted photons

X Ray spectrum energy

In X Ray spectrum of radiology installations:

50 100 150 200

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

Ionization and associated energy

W = 32 eV is the average loss per ionization

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

IAEA Training Material on Radiation Protection in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

Part 5: Interaction of radiation with

Spectral distribution of characteristic

possible for L, M,) by ionization

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

Spectral distribution of characteristic

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

IAEA Training Material on Radiation Protection in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

Part 5: Interaction of radiation with

Loss of energy along track through both collisions and

for distant collisions: the lower the electron energy, the

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

Linear Energy Transfer

Biological effectiveness of ionizing

5: Interaction of radiation with matter

IAEA Training Material on Radiation Protection in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

Part 5: Interaction of radiation with

Incident photon with energy h

ejection of electron from the atom