Application of small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for differentiation between normal and cancerous breast tissues

ABSTRACT Background: Coherent scattering leads to diffraction effects and especially constructive interferences. Theseinterferences carry some information about the molecular structure of the tissue. As breast cancer isthe most widespread cancer in women, this project evaluated the application of small angleX-ray scattering (SAXS) for differentiation between normal and cancerous breast tissues.Small angle X-ray scattering (to angles less than 10°) is predominantly coherent.Materials and Methods: primary collimator, sample holder, secondary collimator and HP Ge detector was used. The bestconstructive interference was found to be at 6.5at several angles of 4, 5, 6, 6.5 and 7.3 degrees. The total number of 99 breast tissue samples,including normal and tumor were studied at the 6.5transfer was obtained for each sample.The energy dispersive method with a set up including X-ray tube,° after doing experiments on adipose breast tissue°. The corrected intensity versus momentumResults: adipose tissue and mixed tissue (adipose & fibroglandular) from tumor in peak positions (eachcoherent scattering spectrum has a peak that its position is determined by momentum transfer).Furthermore adipose tissue has shown significantly higher peaks than other breast tissues. Benignand malignant breast tissues were differentiated by both peak positions and peak heights (eachpeak has a height in coherent scattering spectrum). Preservation of samples nitrogen tank had noeffects on molecular structure of the breast tissue.Adipose tissue shows a sharp peak in low momentum transfer region. It is easy to separateConclusion: between normal, benign and malignant breast tissues. By energy dispersive small angle X-ray scattering, it is possible to differentiateIran. J. Radiat. Res., 2005 2 (4): 205-210