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Evaluation of a compact multicontrast and multiresolution X-ray phase contrast edge illumination system for small animal imaging
- Source :
- Medical physicsREFERENCES. 48(1)
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Purpose In this work the performance of a compact multiresolution and multicontrast x-ray phase system based on edge illumination is investigated. It has been designed for small animal imaging and with a limited footprint for ease of deployment in laboratories. Methods The presented edge illumination system is based on a compact microfocus tungsten x-ray source combined with a flat panel detector. The source has a maximum output of 10 W when the minimum spot size of about 15 μm is used. The system has an overall length of 70 cm. A new double sample mask design, obtained by arranging both skipped and nonskipped configurations on the same structure, provides dual resolution capability. To test the system, we carried out computed tomography (CT) scans of a plastic phantom with different source settings using both single-image and multi-image acquisition schemes at different spatial resolutions. In addition, CT scans of an ex-vivo mouse specimen were acquired at the best identified working conditions to demonstrate the application of the presented system to small animal imaging. Results We found this system delivers good image quality, allowing for an efficient material separation and improving detail visibility in small animals thanks to the higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of phase contrast with respect to conventional attenuation contrast. The system offers high versatility in terms of spatial resolution thanks to the double sample mask design integrated into a single scanner. The availability of both multi- and single-image acquisition schemes coupled with their dedicated retrieval algorithms, allows different working modes which can be selected based on user preference. Multi-image acquisition provides quantitative separation of the real and imaginary part of the refractive index, however, it requires a long scanning time. On the other hand, the single image approach delivers the best material separation and image quality at all the investigated source settings with a shorter scanning time but at the cost of quantitativeness. Finally, we also observed that the single image approach combined with a high-power x-ray source may result in a fast acquisition protocol compatible with in-vivo imaging.
- Subjects :
- Image quality
Computer science
Phase contrast microscopy
ComputingMethodologies_IMAGEPROCESSINGANDCOMPUTERVISION
Phase (waves)
Imaging phantom
Flat panel detector
030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging
law.invention
03 medical and health sciences
Mice
0302 clinical medicine
Optics
law
Animals
Image resolution
Lighting
business.industry
Phantoms, Imaging
Attenuation
X-Rays
General Medicine
Sample (graphics)
Radiography
030220 oncology & carcinogenesis
business
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Refractive index
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 24734209
- Volume :
- 48
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Medical physicsREFERENCES
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....9ff42a4d95f0f1846b7a8a63ab2db477