Energy Measurement of X-rays in Computed Tomography for Detecting Contrast Media

Abstract

The advantages of energy measurement of x-rays over current measurement in transmission radiography and computed tomography (CT) for detecting iodine contrast media are discussed. Simulation studies on both methods of measurement are carried out, followed by experiments. As data for energy measurement of x-rays, the event ratio of two energy regions with a K-edge of iodine between them is employed. The energy measurement method is immune to beam hardening, while current measurement suffers greatly with changes in x-ray tube voltage and thickness of the body under measurement. This method is useful in interventional radiology and in CT. It will also be useful for detecting other types of contrast medium.