Scattering of 60 keV photons by biological material and influence in diagnostic radiology.

The angular and energy distributions of photons scattered by water, muscle tissue, and bone were measured at the Physics Institute of the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro using a Ge-detector and a 241Am source of 59.54 keV radiation. Single and double scattering were investigated on samples up to 16 cm in diameter. The results were compared with theoretical calculations of Rayleigh (elastic) and Compton (inelastic) scattering, assuming a simple model for the scattering geometry. The overall agreement between model and experimental results for soft tissue and water allows quantitative predictions based on a simple equation. Some applications are presented.