title: Measurement of small-angle photon scattering for some breast tissues and tissue substitute materials.
abstract: For photon energies encountered in diagnostic radiology the shape of the scattering distributions for low-atomic-number media exhibits peaks in intensity close to the forward direction that are not predicted by conventional theoretical models. The positions and shapes of the peaks depend upon the interatomic and intermolecular configurations of the scatterers. The phenomenon is of particular interest because of its relevance to the understanding and modelling of x-ray imaging processes and the possibility that the peaking may be characteristic of tissue type. In the present study, peaks in the forward scattering distributions have been demonstrated for 19 samples of breast tissue and three tissue substitute materials using a position-sensitive photon detector and a 60 kVp x-ray source. Prominent features were observed for all samples investigated. Large differences were found in the shapes of the distributions between adipose and fibroglandular tissues and only small differences were found between carcinomas and fibroglandular tissues.
authors.affiliation: Joint Department of Physics, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, England.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Dance
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bateman
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000232:Adenofibroma; D000273:Adipose Tissue; D001940:Breast; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D005260:Female; D005348:Fibrocystic Breast Disease; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020366:Methylmethacrylate; D008768:Methylmethacrylates; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D008768:Methylmethacrylates; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D014867:Water; D020366:Methylmethacrylate