Correction of beam hardening in X-ray radiograms

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Physics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• X-ray beam intensity follows Beer-Lambert's law for monochromatic sources.
• Polychromatic X-ray spectra and energy-dependent attenuation cause beam hardening.
• Effective attenuation coefficients (μeff) are needed for polychromatic X-rays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for deducing effective attenuation coefficients (μeff) for polychromatic X-ray beams.
• To enable accurate material thickness determination despite beam hardening.
• To extend the method for analyzing granular media.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a phenomenological model to describe μeff(x).
• Required a small number of auxiliary measurements for calibration.
• Applied the model to polychromatic X-ray attenuation.

Main Results:

• Successfully deduced effective attenuation coefficients (μeff) dependent on material, thickness, and X-ray setup.
• Demonstrated the model's capability to determine unknown material thicknesses.
• Showcased application in calculating volume fractions for granular media.

Conclusions:

• The phenomenological model accurately accounts for beam hardening effects in X-ray attenuation.
• This approach provides a practical solution for material characterization using polychromatic X-rays.
• The method is versatile for both solid and granular materials.