AbstractID: 8601 Title: Low-Angle X-Ray Scatter Detection Systems for Breast Cancer Detection
In our group, work is underway to look at the possibility of using the low-angle x-ray scatter in the field of breast cancer
detection. Medical personnel have joined the research group and the project has been ethically approved. A low-angle x-ray scatter
detection system is being designed and built for tissue characterization. The system consists of an x-ray cabinet system, pinhole
collimator, an ionization chamber, tissue sample holder, a cadmium zinc telluride detector and a rotating stage. The sample will be
interrogated by a pencil beam. The detector, which is mounted on the rotating stage, will sample the low angle x-ray scatter. With a
well defined geometry, a ratio of the scatter signal to the corresponding transmission signal can yield x-ray scatter signatures on an
absolute scale. A database of scatter signatures for healthy and cancerous breast tissues will be collected and stored. It is anticipated
that the scatter signals between healthy breast tissue and cancers will be significantly different. We also have a digital specimen
radiography system. Regions in a conventional digital image of a breast biopsy that appear suspicious will be highlighted. These
regions of tissue will be interrogated by a pencil beam and the low angle x-ray scatter signals will be measured with the digital system.
This system could improve the localization of cancerous lesions within breast biopsy specimens. Note that although this study is
strictly on biopsy specimens, future applications of the technique on thick phantoms can be investigated.