Model-based tungsten anode X-ray tube spectra reconstruction method

Knowledge of X-ray spectra is essential for X-ray dose control, X-ray image quality evaluation and dual-energy X-ray imaging etc. A model-based tungsten anode X-ray tube spectra reconstruction method is presented in this paper. A physical meaningful seven-parameter X-ray tube spectra model is firstly established. Then model parameters are estimated from attenuation data so that X-ray tube spectra can be reconstructed. In the experiment, a series of aluminum plates and copper plates with different thickness are selected as attenuator for a selected tube voltage. Model parameters are estimated from experimentally measured attenuation data to reconstruct X-ray tube spectra. Experiments show that the method is easy to apply and can reconstruct both bremsstrahlung and characteristic spectra with only a few attenuation data. The difference of attenuation data between initial spectra and reconstructed spectra is lower than 0.3%. The difference between modified handbook spectra and reconstructed spectra is lower than 5%.