Tailoring the x-ray beam energy spectrum to enhance image quality of new radiography contrast agents based on Gd or other lanthanides

F. Avraham Dilmanian; Hanns-Joachim Weinmann; Zhong Zhong; Tigran Bacarian; Luigi Rigon; Terry M. Button; Baorui Ren; Xiaoye Wu; Nan Zhong; Harold L. Atkins

doi:10.1117/12.430904

28 June 2001 Tailoring the x-ray beam energy spectrum to enhance image quality of new radiography contrast agents based on Gd or other lanthanides

F. Avraham Dilmanian, Hanns-Joachim Weinmann, Zhong Zhong, Tigran Bacarian, Luigi Rigon, Terry M. Button, Baorui Ren, Xiaoye Wu, Nan Zhong, Harold L. Atkins

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 4320, Medical Imaging 2001: Physics of Medical Imaging; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.430904
Event: Medical Imaging 2001, 2001, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

Gadovist, a 1.0-molar Gd contrast agent from Schering AG, Berlin, Germany, in use in clinical MRI in Europe, was evaluated as a radiography contrast agent. In a collaboration with Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Schering AG is developing several such lanthanide-based contrast agents, while BNL evaluates them using different x-ray beam energy spectra. These energy spectra include a 'truly' monochromatic beam (0.2 keV energy bandwidth) from the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), BNL, tuned above the Gd K-edge, and x-ray-tube beams from different kVp settings and beam filtrations. Radiographs of rabbits' kidneys were obtained with Gadovist at the NSLS. Furthermore, a clinical radiography system was used for imaging rabbits' kidneys comparing Gadovist and Conray, an iodinated contrast agent. The study, using 74 kVp and standard Al beam filter for Conray and 66 kVp and an additional 1.5 mm Cu beam filter for Gadovist, produced comparable images for Gadovist and Conray; the injection volumes were the same, while the radiation absorbed dose for Gadovist was slightly smaller. A bent-crystal silicon monochromator operating in the Laue diffraction mode was developed and tested with a conventional x-ray tube beam; it narrows the energy spectrum to about 4 keV around the anode tungsten's K' line. Preliminary beam-flux results indicate that the method could be implemented in clinical CT if x-ray tubes with approximately twice higher output become available.

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F. Avraham Dilmanian, Hanns-Joachim Weinmann, Zhong Zhong, Tigran Bacarian, Luigi Rigon, Terry M. Button, Baorui Ren, Xiaoye Wu, Nan Zhong, and Harold L. Atkins "Tailoring the x-ray beam energy spectrum to enhance image quality of new radiography contrast agents based on Gd or other lanthanides", Proc. SPIE 4320, Medical Imaging 2001: Physics of Medical Imaging, (28 June 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.430904

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