TY - JOUR
T1 - Quantitative x-ray dark-field computed tomography
AU - Bech, Martin
AU - Bunk, O.
AU - Donath, T.
AU - Feidenhans'l, Robert Krarup
AU - David, C.
AU - Pfeiffer, F.
PY - 2010/9/21
Y1 - 2010/9/21
N2 - The basic principles of x-ray image formation in radiology have remained essentially unchanged since Röntgen first discovered x-rays over a hundred years ago. The conventional approach relies on x-ray attenuation as the sole source of contrast and draws exclusively on ray or geometrical optics to describe and interpret image formation. Phase-contrast or coherent scatter imaging techniques, which can be understood using wave optics rather than ray optics, offer ways to augment or complement the conventional approach by incorporating the wave-optical interaction of x-rays with the specimen. With a recently developed approach based on x-ray optical gratings, advanced phase-contrast and dark-field scatter imaging modalities are now in reach for routine medical imaging and non-destructive testing applications. To quantitatively assess the new potential of particularly the grating-based darkfield imaging modality, we here introduce a mathematical formalism together with a material-dependent parameter, the so-called linear diffusion coefficient and show that this description can yield quantitative dark-field computed tomography (QDFCT) images of experimental test phantoms.
AB - The basic principles of x-ray image formation in radiology have remained essentially unchanged since Röntgen first discovered x-rays over a hundred years ago. The conventional approach relies on x-ray attenuation as the sole source of contrast and draws exclusively on ray or geometrical optics to describe and interpret image formation. Phase-contrast or coherent scatter imaging techniques, which can be understood using wave optics rather than ray optics, offer ways to augment or complement the conventional approach by incorporating the wave-optical interaction of x-rays with the specimen. With a recently developed approach based on x-ray optical gratings, advanced phase-contrast and dark-field scatter imaging modalities are now in reach for routine medical imaging and non-destructive testing applications. To quantitatively assess the new potential of particularly the grating-based darkfield imaging modality, we here introduce a mathematical formalism together with a material-dependent parameter, the so-called linear diffusion coefficient and show that this description can yield quantitative dark-field computed tomography (QDFCT) images of experimental test phantoms.
U2 - 10.1088/0031-9155/55/18/017
DO - 10.1088/0031-9155/55/18/017
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 20808030
SN - 0031-9155
VL - 55
SP - 5529
EP - 5539
JO - Physics in Medicine and Biology
JF - Physics in Medicine and Biology
IS - 18
ER -