Grating-based x-ray phase contrast imaging has the potential to be applied in future medical applications as it is compatible with both laboratory and synchrotron source. However, information ...retrieval methods are important because acquisition speed, scanning mode, image quality, and radiation dose depend on them. Phase-stepping （PS） is a widely used method to retrieve information, while angular signal radiography （ASR） is a newly established method. In this manuscript, signal-to-noise ratios （SNRs） of ASR are compared with that of PS. Numerical experiments are performed to validate theoretical results. SNRs comparison shows that for refraction and scattering images ASR has higher SNR than PS method, while for absorption image both methods have same SNR. Therefore, our conclusions would have guideline in future preclinical and clinical applications.
We develop an element-specific x-ray microscopy method by using Zernike phase contrast imaging near absorption edges, where a real part of refractive index changes abruptly. In this method two phase ...contrast images are subtracted to obtain the target element: one is at the absorption edge of the target element and the other is near the absorption edge. The x-ray exposure required by this method is expected to be significantly lower than that of conventional absorption-based x-ray elemental imaging methods. Numerical calculations confirm the advantages of this highly efficient imaging method.
X-ray phase-contrast imaging is one of the novel techniques,and has potential to enhance image quality and provide the details of inner structures nondestructively.In this work,we investigate ...quantitatively signal-to-noise ratio（SNR） of grating-based x-ray phase contrast imaging（GBPCI） system by employing angular signal radiography（ASR）.Moreover,photon statistics and mechanical error that is a major source of noise are investigated in detail.Results show the dependence of SNR on the system parameters and the effects on the extracted absorption,refraction and scattering images.Our conclusions can be used to optimize the system design for upcoming practical applications in the areas such as material science and biomedical imaging.
X-ray computed tomography at the nanometer scale （nano-CT） offers a wide range of applications in scientific and industrial areas. Here we describe a reliable, user-friendly, and fast software ...package based on LabVIEW that may allow us to perform all procedures after the acquisition of raw projection images in order to obtain the inner structure of the investigated sample. A suitable image alignment process to address misalignment problems among image series due to mechanical manufacturing errors, thermal expansion, and other external factors has been considered, together with a novel fast parallel beam 3D reconstruction procedure that was developed ad hoc to perform the tomographic reconstruction. We have obtained remarkably improved reconstruction results at the Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility after the image calibration, the fundamental role of this image alignment procedure was confirmed, which minimizes the unwanted blurs and additional streaking artifacts that are always present in reconstructed slices. Moreover, this nano-CT image alignment and its associated 3D reconstruction procedure are fully based on LabVIEW routines, significantly reducing the data post-processing cycle, thus making the activity of the users faster and easier during experimental runs.
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry（DEXA） has been widely applied to measure the bone mineral density（BMD） and soft-tissue composition of the human body. However, the use of DEXA is greatly limited for ...lowZ materials such as soft tissues due to their weak absorption, while X-ray phase-contrast imaging（XPCI） shows significantly improved contrast in comparison with the conventional standard absorption-based X-ray imaging for soft tissues. In this paper, we propose a novel X-ray phase-contrast method to measure the area density of low-Z materials, including a single-energy method and a dual-energy method. The single-energy method is for the area density calculation of one low-Z material, while the dual-energy method aims to calculate the area densities of two low-Z materials simultaneously. Comparing the experimental and simulation results with the theoretical ones, the new method proves to have the potential to replace DEXA in area density measurement. The new method sets the prerequisites for a future precise and low-dose area density calculation method for low-Z materials.
The relationship between noise variance and spatial resolution in grating-based x-ray phase computed tomography（PCT） imaging is investigated with reverse projection extraction method, and the noise ...variances of the reconstructed absorption coefficient and refractive index decrement are compared. For the differential phase contrast method, the noise variance in the differential projection images follows the same inverse-square law with spatial resolution as in conventional absorption-based x-ray imaging projections. However, both theoretical analysis and simulations demonstrate that in PCT the noise variance of the reconstructed refractive index decrement scales with spatial resolution follows an inverse linear relationship at fixed slice thickness, while the noise variance of the reconstructed absorption coefficient conforms with the inverse cubic law. The results indicate that, for the same noise variance level, PCT imaging may enable higher spatial resolution than conventional absorption computed tomography（ACT）, while ACT benefits more from degraded spatial resolution. This could be a useful guidance in imaging the inner structure of the sample in higher spatial resolution.
Since the invention of Zernike phase contrast method in 1930,it has been widely used in optical microscopy and more recently in X-ray microscopy.Considering the image contrast is a mixture of ...absorption and phase information,we recently have proposed and demonstrated a method for quantitative phase retrieval in Zernike phase contrast X-ray microscopy.In this contribution,we analyze the performance of this method at different photon energies.Intensity images of PMMA samples are simulated at 2.5 keV and 6.2 keV,respectively,and phase retrieval is performed using the proposed method.The results demonstrate that the proposed phase retrieval method is applicable over a wide energy range.For weakly absorbing features,the optimal photon energy is 2.5 keV,from the point of view of image contrast and accuracy of phase retrieval.On the other hand,in the case of strong absorption objects,a higher photon energy is preferred to reduce the error of phase retrieval.These results can be used as guidelines to perform quantitative phase retrieval in Zernike phase contrast X-ray microscopy with the proposed method.
In this work, we extensively describe and demonstrate the structured dark-field imaging(SDFI). SDFI is a newly proposed x-ray microscopy designed for revealing the fine features below Rayleigh ...resolution, in which different orders of scattered x-ray photons are collected by changing the numerical aperture of the condenser. Here, the samples of single particles are discussed to extend the scope of the SDFI technique reported in a previous work(Chen J, Gao K, Ge X, et al.2013 Opt. Lett. 38 2068). In addition, the details of the newly invented algorithm are explained, which is able to calculate the intensity of any pixel on the image plane rapidly and reliably.
Grating-based X-ray phase contrast imaging has been demonstrated to he an extremely powerful phase-sensitive imaging technique. By using two-dimensional （2D） gratings, the observable contrast is ...extended to two refraction directions. Recently, we have developed a novel reverse-projection （RP） method, which is capable of retrieving the object information efficiently with one-dimensional （1D） grating-based phase contrast imaging. In this contribution, we present its extension to the 2D grating-based X-ray phase contrast imaging, named the two-dimensional reverse- projection （2D-RP） method, for information retrieval. The method takes into account the nonlinear contributions of two refraction directions and allows the retrieval of the absorption, the horizontal and the vertical refraction images. The obtained information can be used for the reconstruction of the three-dimensionak phase gradient field, and for an improved phase map retrieval and reconstruction. Numerical experiments are carried out, and the results confirm the validity of the 2D-RP method.
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