同轴X射线相位衬度计算机X射线断层摄影术研究

基于北京同步辐射装置(BSRF)开展了同轴X射线相位衬度计算机X射线断层摄影术(CT)研究.利用北京同步辐射的14 keV单色X射线作为光源,以高分辨能力的X射线胶片作为探测器,分别开展吸收衬度和同轴相位衬度成像的比较研究以及相位衬度计算机X射线断层摄影术研究.相位衬度计算机X射线断层摄影术重建采用Bronnikov提出的算法.结果显示,与传统的吸收衬度图像相比,相位衬度图像具有更好的衬度和更高的空间分辨力;实验获得人工样品和蝗虫的相位衬度计算机X射线断层摄影术重建图像.重建图像中可见样品的一些结构细节.实验结果表明,相位衬度X射线成像更适合于研究弱吸收或吸收差异很小的材料;利用北京同步辐射开展同轴X射线相位衬度计算机X射线断层摄影术研究是可行的.     

相移吸收二元性算法用于X射线混合衬度定量显微CT的可行性研究

本文采用相移吸收二元性(PAD)相位恢复算法来实现混合 衬度样品内部不同密度组分的定量成像, 采用数字模拟和实验研究验证该方法的可行性. 模拟结果表明, 对于三种不同材料其重构误差均小于1%, 且误差值随材料折射率的增大而减小. 利用上海光源X射线成像线站开展了实验研究, 结果表明用单距PAD相位恢复算法可获取样品的定量信息. 与模拟结果相比, 实验中的重构精度相对较低, 环状伪影可能是影响精度的主要原因. 模拟和实验研究过程中, 均只采用了一组单距投影数据. 可以认为, 相移吸收二元性算法可用于混合衬度样品的定量信息分析研究. 由于剂量相对较低, 应可适合于软组织和骨骼同时存在时生物医学样品的定量相衬CT研究.     

X射线衍射增强成像中吸收、折射以及散射衬度的计算层析

X射线相位衬度成像是一种新型的X射线成像技术,通过记录射线穿过物体后相位的改变对物体进行成像,可以提供比传统的X射线吸收成像更高的图像衬度以及空间分辨力。衍射增强成像方法(Diffraction enhancedimaging,DEI)是X射线相位衬度成像方法之一,利用一块放置在物体和探测器之间的分析晶体提取物体的吸收、折射以及散射信息并进行成像。将衍射增强成像方法与计算机断层成像技术(Computerized Tomography)进行结合,利用吸收、散射以及折射信息,分别采用滤波反投影以及雷登(Radon)变换,对昆虫样品——蜜蜂进行计算层析重建,获得了好于X射线吸收计算层析的重建结果,验证了衍射增强成像信息分离计算层析的优越性。     

无吸收光栅的X射线相位衬度成像实验研究

通过对基于空间相干源和具有分析光栅功能的X射线转换屏的微分干涉X射线相位衬度成像 系统的理论分析, 利用线发射体阵列结构阳极X射线管和光助电化学刻蚀技术 研制的相位光栅和具有分析光栅功能的X射线转换屏, 组建了一种无吸收光栅的X射线微分干涉相衬成像系统. 在此系统上开展了生物样品的实验研究, 获得了较传统吸收成像更为清晰和更多样品结构信息的相位衬度图像. 从而试验验证了该系统方案设计的可行性, 为X射线相衬成像技术从实验室走向临床应用提供了有效途径.     

Optimization of analysis of soft X-ray spectromicroscopy at the Ca 2p edge

Absorption saturation frequently occurs in X-ray absorption spectroscopy whenever transmission detection is used and the sample is too thick. This can strongly distort X-ray absorption spectra, particularly for transitions which have very high intensity and narrow line width relative to the instrumental resolution. This problem is particularly severe at the strong 2p → 3d resonances at the Ca 2p edge, such that there are detectible absorption saturation effects for mineral samples as thin as 30 nm. We describe methods to identify such spectral distortion in scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) and avoid its effects when generating reference spectra by selecting spatial regions with undistorted spectra. We also show that taking absorption saturation into account is critical when STXM is applied to systems with thick regions. We outline an approach which can provide accurate thickness maps even in the regions where the thickness is such the absorption is saturated at the resonance peaks. Environmental samples such as biofilms, soil samples, sediments, and precipitates are typically heterogeneous in both composition and thickness. They often contain regions thicker than the saturation threshold, yet one would still like to analyse such samples correctly and quantitatively. By excluding the peak energies where absorption saturation distortion occurs, we show it is possible to achieve a meaningful quantitative analysis. We demonstrate the advantages of this approach in the context of mapping two different CaCO₃ species biomineralized within a natural river biofilm.     

Region-of-interest tomography for grating-based X-ray differential phase-contrast imaging

We report numerical and experimental results demonstrating accurate region-of-interest computed tomography (CT) reconstruction based on differential phase-contrast projection (DPC) images. The approach removes the constraint of covering the entire sample within the field of view of the image detector. Particularly for biomedical applications, the presented DPC-CT region-of-interest approach will allow for the visualization of previously inaccessible details deep inside an entire animal or organ. We envisage that this development will also be of interest for potential future clinical applications, because grating-based DPC-CT can be implemented with standard x-ray tube sources.     

Anisotropic total variation minimization approach in in-line phase-contrast tomography and its application to correction of ring artifacts

In-line phase-contrast computed tomography(IL-PC-CT) imaging is a new physical and biochemical imaging method.IL-PC-CT has advantages compared to absorption CT when imaging soft tissues. In practical applications, ring artifacts which will reduce the image quality are commonly encountered in IL-PC-CT, and numerous correction methods exist to either pre-process the sinogram or post-process the reconstructed image. In this study, we develop an IL-PC-CT reconstruction method based on anisotropic total variation(TV) minimization. Using this method, the ring artifacts are corrected during the reconstruction process. This method is compared with two methods: a sinogram preprocessing correction technique based on wavelet-FFT filter and a reconstruction method based on isotropic TV. The correction results show that the proposed method can reduce visible ring artifacts while preserving the liver section details for real liver section synchrotron data.     

Propagation based X-ray phase-contrast imaging technique for the microstructure analysis of biological soft tissues

X-ray phase-contrast imaging (PCI) technique is an emerging method for the study of the biological soft tissues, carbon composite materials, polymers, low-Z material science, etc. We have set up an experimental facility using a combination of X-ray CCD detector and a microfocus X-ray source. We demonstrate that sufficient contrast and intensity can be achieved for biological soft tissues with the X-ray source in the standard operation mode. Based on the cylindrical fiber and pigeon feathers imaging experiments, the boundary information was observed successfully in the light element materials and extremely low absorption material. This shows that X-ray phase-contrast imaging in this area will have a brilliant future.     

Mojette变换层析技术中的投影角度布局方法

Mojette变换是一种最小冗余采样的离散Radon变换,能够用较少角度的投影数据进行精确的计算层析(computed tomography,CT)重建,为少量投影角度CT技术的实现提供了一种新思路.投影角度的空间布局决定了层析重建最少所需投影的数量.为了获得Mojette变换层析技术中的最优投影空间角度布局方案,本文对三维Mojette变换数学模型及其精确重建条件进行了研究.以此为基础,在考虑实际探测器像素数目受限的条件下,提出了确定最优投影角度的方法.研究结果表明:所有探测器围绕被测物体在同一水平面内进行平行投影采集是最优的投影角度布局方案,此时投影模型为二维Mojette变换,所需的投影角度和探测器像素数最少,投影角度范围最小;若在实际的测量中该投影条件无法满足,则投影矢量中|pi|和|qi|的值越小越好.该研究可为实际层析系统的建立提供理论基础.     

Three-dimensional structure of polystyrene colloidal crystal by synchrotron radiation X-ray phase-contrast computed tomography

Colloidal crystal with long-range ordered structure has attracted great attention for their applications in various fields. Although perfect colloidal crystals have been achieved by some fabrications for utilization, little is known about their exact structures and internal defects. In this study, we use synchrotron radiation (SR) phase-contrast computed tomography (CT) to noninvasively access the internal structure of polystyrene (PS) colloidal crystals in three dimensions (3D). The phase-attenuation duality Paganin algorithm phase retrieval was employed to achieve a satisfactory contrast and outline of the spheres. After CT reconstruction, the positions of individual PS particles and structural defects are identified in three dimensions, and the local crystal structure is revealed. Further quantitative analysis of the void system in colloidal crystal illustrates that single voids can be mostly attributed to tetrahedron void of sphere close packing, but the interconnected voids with large volume induce a sphere volume fraction of 59.39 % that reflects a metastable glass behavior of colloidal crystal arrangement. The void orientation result reveals that the 3D close-packing difficulty mainly lies in the stacking of interlayer.     

On the origins of decoherence and extinction contrast in phase-contrast imaging

A theoretical formalism describing the formation of images in a linear shift invariant X-ray optical system is derived within the wave-optical theory. It is applicable to a non-crystalline object consisting of two types of features, with the characteristic sizes which are respectively not smaller and much smaller than the resolution of the imaging system. This formalism is then applied to two phase-contrast imaging techniques, the propagation-based and analyser-based imaging. The obtained formulae for the intensity distribution in the image well explain the “decoherence effect” which is observed in the former technique and the “extinction contrast” which is a characteristic of the latter technique. This formalism is shown to be in good agreement with the results of the accurate numerical simulations, using rigorous wave-optical theory, of the propagation-based and analyser-based phase-contrast images of the model objects.     

The statistical sinogram smoothing via adaptive-weighted total variation regularization for low-dose X-ray CT

Though clinically desired, low-dose X-ray computed tomography (CT) images tend to be degraded by the noise-contaminated sinogram data. Preprocessing the noisy sinogram before filtered back-projection (FBP) is an effective way to solve this problem. This paper presents a statistical sinogram smoothing approach for low-dose CT reconstruction. The approach is obtained by minimizing an energy function consisting of an adaptive-weighted total variation (AWTV) regularization term and a data fidelity term based on the Markov random fields (MRF) framework. The AWTV regularization term can make our algorithm automatically adjust the smoothing degree according to the feature and the level of noise of the smoothed pixel. The experimental results indicate that the proposed approach has the excellent performance in visual effects and quantitative analysis.     

A variable-wavelength-based approach of phase retrieval for contrast transfer function based methods

X-ray phase-contrast imaging has emerged as an important method for improving contrast and sensitivity in the field of X-ray imaging. This increase in the sensitivity is attributed to the fact that, in the hard X-ray regime, the phase shift is more prominent as compared with the attenuation for materials having a low X-ray absorption coefficient. Among all the methods using the X-ray phase-contrast technique, in-line phase-contrast imaging scores over the other methods in terms of ease of implementation and efficient use of available X-ray flux. In order to retrieve the projected phase map of the object from the recorded intensity pattern, a large number of algorithms have been proposed. These algorithms generally use either the transport of intensity or contrast transfer function based approach for phase retrieval. In this paper it is proposed to use multiple wavelengths for phase retrieval using the contrast transfer function based formalism.     

In Vivo Laser Tomographic Imaging of Mouse Leg by Coherent Detection Imaging Method

The coherent detection imaging (CDI) technique based on the optical heterodyne detection method enables selective filtering of the directional coherent retaining emergent photons from biological tissues with a highly scattering nature. Therefore, the CDI can acquire on-axis information in the transillumination mode and use the same data-acquisition protocol and reconstruction algorithm as those in X-ray computed tomography (CT). Although the CDI-based laser CT cannot image thick subjects such as the head and chest, it can delineate subjects with a thickness up to several cm at a spatial resolution of sub-millimeters. We are planning to apply the technique to early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here, we performed an experiment using mice to confirm the feasibility. We compared in vivo CT images at the level of ankle joints of two mice, one normal and the other with collagen induced arthritis (CIA) as an RA model, and demonstrated that there occur significant discrepancies between the two distributions of image intensities, i.e., reconstructed scattering coefficients in each region of interest (ROI) prepared. We suggest that combining the morphological information with the quantitative information can be effective for early diagnosis of bone diseases and disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.     

基于对数解调的递变能量CT成像方法

复杂结构件由于有效厚度差异大和成像系统动态范围受限, 单一能量下的投影数据信息不完整, 常用CT重建算法及不完全数据重建算法无法在数据缺失严重的情况, 有效实现复杂结构件的CT重建. 为此论文提出基于对数解调的递变能量CT成像方法. 该方法在分析直接高动态CT成像所存在问题的基础上, 提出利用对数变换压缩递变能量投影序列动态范围, 并利用现有的基于图像灰度一致性的融合方法, 计算融合加权系数, 再经常规重建算法实现复杂构件的CT成像. 论文并以某复杂仪表为对象, 进行实验, 相比传统的固定能量成像方式, CT信息完整, 质量高. 从而说明论文所提出的方法, 能够实现CT系统动态范围的扩展, 实现复杂结构件的高动态CT成像.     

代数迭代重建算法在折射衬度CT中的应用

X射线折射衬度CT是一种基于相位衬度的断层成像技术,特别适合对由轻元素组成的生物、医学样品进行成像,可以观察到常规吸收衬度CT无法观察到的软组织内部微细结构,是一种具有巨大发展潜力的新成像方法.迭代重建算法和解析重建算法是计算机断层成像技术中并行发展的两种算法,虽然已经提出了几种X射线折射衬度CT的解析重建算法,可是还未见X射线折射衬度CT迭代重建算法的报道.研究了代数迭代重建算法在X射线折射衬度CT中的应用,比较分析了不同的投影数据排列方式对于折射衬度CT重建图像的影响,并对实验数据进行了图像重建,获得了满意的CT图像.研究结果表明,在相位衬度CT中,迭代重建算法相对于解析重建算法而言,能减少投影次数,降低曝光剂量,减少对生物样品的辐射损伤,在生物样品成像和投影数据不完整的情况下具有明显的优势. 关键词： 衍射增强成像 代数迭代算法 CT重建 同步辐射     

Digital holography for quantitative phase-contrast imaging

We present a new application of digital holography for phase-contrast imaging and optical metrology. This holographic imaging technique uses a CCD camera for recording of a digital Fresnel off-axis hologram and a numerical method for hologram reconstruction. The method simultaneously provides an amplitude-contrast image and a quantitative phase-contrast image. An application to surface profilometry is presented and shows excellent agreement with contact-stylus probe measurements.     

Generalized eikonal of partially coherent beams and its use in quantitative imaging

The generalized eikonal of a partially coherent paraxial wave is introduced via a differential equation describing the evolution of the time-averaged intensity. The theoretical formalism provides an analytical tool for the study of partially coherent imaging systems. It also makes possible quantitative phase retrieval and compositional mapping of weakly absorbing samples using phase-contrast imaging with broadband polychromatic radiation of known spectral distribution. An experimental demonstration is presented of the quantitative reconstruction of the projected thickness of a sample, given a phase-contrast image obtained using a polychromatic microfocus x-ray source.     

X射线成像技术在医学中应用

文章介绍了在医学中广泛应用的二维X射线摄影屏一胶片系统及三维计算机断层扫描成像技术。并对二维X射线摄影技术的发展，例如数字减影血管造影（DSA），计算机放射成像（CR）和直接数字化X射线摄影（DR）以及三维成像新技术，如螺旋计算机断层扫描技术（螺旋CT），正电子发射体层／多层螺旋CT图像融合扫描装置（简称PET-CT）和相位衬度成像技术的原理和应用作了简单描述。医学图像后处理是现代医学图像设备不可或缺的组成部分，先验医学知识的融入使现代图像设备具有辅助诊断的能力。     

Preliminary research on dual-energy X-ray phase-contrast imaging

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.