Entropy as a measure of the performance of phosphor materials used in medical imaging radiation detectors

In information theory, entropy expresses the information gain obtained after detection of a signal concerning the state of a parameter of interest. In this study, entropy has been expressed in terms of physical quantities (emitted optical fluence and MTF) related to the imaging performance of phosphor materials, which are employed in medical imaging radiation detectors. Four phosphor materials, used in the form of laboratory-prepared fluorescent layers (screens), were compared on the basis of their entropy performance. Measurements were performed using 30- and 80-kVp X-ray beams often employed in X-ray imaging. Results showed that phosphor materials with high density and effective atomic number exhibit high entropy performance, especially at the higher X-ray tube voltage of 80 kVp. Entropy values are also affected by the type of activator, which determines the intrinsic X-ray-to-light conversion efficiency, and the spectrum of emitted light. The proximity of the incident X-ray quanta energy to the energy of the K-shell threshold for photoelectric absorption is an additional important factor which increases entropy. This effect was more apparent in the performance of yttrium-based phosphors at the lower voltage of 30 kVp. Received: 7 January 2000 / Accepted: 28 March 2000 / Published online: 23 August 2000