title: Determination of equivalent x-ray spectra from attenuation data.
abstract: A method is described whereby a polyenergetic x-ray spectrum, as produced by a typical x-ray tube used in radiographic imaging, is approximated by an equivalent spectrum consisting of a small number of discrete x-ray photon energies, i.e. a line spectrum. The equivalent spectrum is found by a least squares fit to attenuation data for three different attenuating materials. Computer simulation and experimental measurements show that a three-energy equivalent spectrum accurately predicts the attenuation properties of the polyenergetic spectrum. The accuracy is limited by the uncertainty in the known values of the x-ray linear attenuation coefficients.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medical and Health Physics, Queensland University of Technology.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Michael
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D017785:Photons; D055585:Physical Phenomena; D010825:Physics; D011859:Radiography; D013679:Technology, Radiologic / Q000295:instrumentation; D014965:X-Rays