X-ray interaction and computational characterization and analysis of human brain tissue for applications in cancer detection

This study covers the 1-140 keV energy region, which includes the photoelectric effect, coherent (Rayleigh) and incoherent (Compton) scattering. The study was conducted by testing the different elemental contents from the literature regarding the molecular structure of the human brain grey and white matter. The elemental content most compatible with the experimental results was determined. Using this elemental content, the atomic cross-sections were calculated. The investigated molecular cross-sections and attenuation coefficients were then determined using the relevant atomic cross-sections. The differential coherent scattering distribution for an energy value of 6.935 keV was found to be in very good agreement with its experimental counterparts. The total attenuation coefficients were also in excellent agreement (0,1 - 3,52 % for grey matter and 0,05 - 4,47 % for white matter) with experimental data above 28 keV. This study is new in that it examines the grey and white matter of the human brain tissue separately, calculating interaction cross-sections and attenuation coefficients via numerical integration in atomic and molecular form, including very low energy regions. This study will give an idea about the effect of normal brain tissue for applications of cancer detection in radiation oncology and radiology.