Nuclear scattering radiography

The quasi-elastic scattering of 1 GeV protons permits the three-dimensional reconstruction of the density distribution in extended bodies. Fast multiwire proportional chambers are used to localize the position of every incoming and outgoing charged particle and to determine the coordinates at the interaction vertex. This article describes tests on a human head fixed on formalin. The comparison with computed tomography scans and anatomical sections is encouraging. Slices with a volume element of 5.5 mm3 illustrate the sensitivity of the method. The results also demonstrate the ability of the method to select the density distribution of hydrogen by making use of the kinematic relations specific to elastic scattering. Trials of this method in living humans are being planned.