Abstract
Breast lesions and normal tissues have different molecular arrangements that affect their diffraction patterns. Different mouldable and non-mouldable materials were analysed using an energy dispersive X-ray diffraction system based on a conventional X-ray source (operated at 70 kVp) and a CdTe detector (Amptek XT-100), including a conventional spectroscopic chain. Combinations of materials were identified to have a contrast comparable to that achieved in diffraction imaging for different breast tissues at the momentum transfer values carrying the greatest amount of information (1.1 nm(-1) and 1.6 nm(-1)). (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.