Image Quality in Attenuation-Based and Phase-Contrast-Based X-ray Imaging

Abstract Grating-based x-ray phase-contrast imaging has the potential to enhance image quality and provide inner structure details non-destructively. In this work, using grating-based x-ray phase-contrast imaging system and employing integrating-bucket method, the quantitative expressions of signal-to-noise ratios due to photon statistics and mechanical error are analyzed in detail. Photon statistical noise and mechanical error are the main sources affecting the image noise in x-ray grating interferometry. Integrating-bucket method is a new phase extraction method translated to x-ray grating interferometry; hence, its image quality analysis would be of great importance to get high-quality phase image. The authors’ conclusions provide an alternate method to get high-quality refraction signal using grating interferometer, and hence increases applicability of grating interferometry in preclinical and clinical usage.

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Principles of Different X-ray Phase-Contrast Imaging: A Review

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11072971 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 2971

Author(s):

Siwei Tao ◽

Congxiao He ◽

Xiang Hao ◽

Cuifang Kuang ◽

Xu Liu

Keyword(s):

Biological Samples ◽

Phase Contrast ◽

Recent Progress ◽

Phase Contrast Imaging ◽

Contrast Imaging ◽

X Ray ◽

X Ray Imaging ◽

Internal Structures ◽

X Ray Absorption ◽

Made In

Numerous advances have been made in X-ray technology in recent years. X-ray imaging plays an important role in the nondestructive exploration of the internal structures of objects. However, the contrast of X-ray absorption images remains low, especially for materials with low atomic numbers, such as biological samples. X-ray phase-contrast images have an intrinsically higher contrast than absorption images. In this review, the principles, milestones, and recent progress of X-ray phase-contrast imaging methods are demonstrated. In addition, prospective applications are presented.

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Visualization Ability of Phase-Contrast Synchrotron-Based X-Ray Imaging Using an X-Ray Interferometer in Soft Tissue Tumors

Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment ◽

10.1177/15330338211010121 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 153303382110101

Author(s):

Thet-Thet Lwin ◽

Akio Yoneyama ◽

Hiroko Maruyama ◽

Tohoru Takeda

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

Soft Tissue ◽

Spatial Resolution ◽

Phase Contrast ◽

Soft Tissue Tumors ◽

X Ray ◽

3 Dimensional ◽

Computed Tomography Images ◽

X Ray Imaging ◽

X Ray Computed

Phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer provides high sensitivity and high spatial resolution, and it has the ability to depict the fine morphological structures of biological soft tissues, including tumors. In this study, we quantitatively compared phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray computed tomography images and images of histopathological hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections of spontaneously occurring rat testicular tumors that contained different types of cells. The absolute densities measured on the phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray computed tomography images correlated well with the densities of the nuclear chromatin in the histological images, thereby demonstrating the ability of phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer to reliably identify the characteristics of cancer cells within solid soft tissue tumors. In addition, 3-dimensional synchrotron-based phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography enables screening for different structures within tumors, such as solid, cystic, and fibrous tissues, and blood clots, from any direction and with a spatial resolution down to 26 μm. Thus, phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer shows potential for being useful in preclinical cancer research by providing the ability to depict the characteristics of tumor cells and by offering 3-dimensional information capabilities.

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