Pulsed X-Ray Source for Non-Invasive Digital Subtraction Angiography

In recent years synchrotron radiation from electron storage rings has been found to be a highly effective source for iodine K-edge Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA). The intense radiation available at 33 keV photon energy used in DSA provides maximum sensitivity to intraarterial iodine and essentally eliminates contrast due to nonvascular body structures. Arteries can be visualized with high resolution in spite of their constant motion. So far, high energy storage rings are required to produce hard X-rays at 33 keV in sufficient intensity. For a dedicated source a lower energy and therefore smaller storage ring at reduced cost would be desirable. In this paper the potential and limitations of low energy storage rings as dedicated radiation sources for DSA are discussed. With high field pulsed magnets in a 1.2 to 1.5 GeV storage ring of about 10 m diameter the required photon intensity can be provided for DSA. Several photon beam lines can be installed at such a ring and of the order of 10,000 patients per year and beam line could be screened.