A spatial domain constraint iterative phase retrieval method for the propagation based X ray phase contrast imaging

Based on the propagation X ray phase contrast imaging theory, a spatial domain constraint iterative phase retrieval method is described in detail. This algorithm limits the object spatial domain according to the actual sample size firstly, and modify the image plane data with the actual test data, then the iteration can be terminated until iteration precision or the number of iterations meet the preset requirements. Finally the numerical simulation is made to evaluate the rapid phase retrieval algorithm performance, and a real column fiber material experiment is carried out using a micro focus X ray phase contrast imaging experiment platform, the phase distribution image of the column fiber is calculated out by this algorithm. The results show that this phase retrieval algorithm is effective, and the method has a potential stability and accuracy for X ray phase contrast imaging technology.     

Quantitative phase retrieval in X‐ray Zernike phase contrast microscopy

In recent years, increasing attention has been devoted to X‐ray phase contrast imaging, since it can provide high‐contrast images by using phase variations. Among the different existing techniques, Zernike phase contrast microscopy is one of the most popular phase‐sensitive techniques for investigating the fine structure of the sample at high spatial resolution. In X‐ray Zernike phase contrast microscopy, the image contrast is indeed a mixture of absorption and phase contrast. Therefore, this technique just provides qualitative information on the object, which makes the interpretation of the image difficult. In this contribution, an approach is proposed for quantitative phase retrieval in X‐ray Zernike phase contrast microscopy. By shifting the phase of the direct light by π/2 and 3π/2, two images of the same object are measured successively. The phase information of the object can then be quantitatively retrieved by a proper combination of the measured images. Numerical experiments were carried out and the results confirmed the feasibility of the proposed method. It is expected that the proposed method will find widespread applications in biology, materials science and so on.     

Hard X‐ray phase‐contrast tomography of non‐homogeneous specimens: grating interferometry versus propagation‐based imaging

X‐ray phase‐contrast imaging is an effective approach to drastically increase the contrast and sensitivity of microtomographic techniques. Numerous approaches to depict the real part of the complex‐valued refractive index of a specimen are nowadays available. A comparative study using experimental data from grating‐based interferometry and propagation‐based phase contrast combined with single‐distance phase retrieval applied to a non‐homogeneous sample is presented (acquired at beamline ID19‐ESRF). It is shown that grating‐based interferometry can handle density gradients in a superior manner. The study underlines the complementarity of the two techniques for practical applications.     

近场X射线位相衬度成像及位相恢复算法

理论分析了X射线衍射位相成像和近场位相恢复算法。定义了一个最佳成像距离，给出了基于最佳成像距离和特征空间频率的衍射场光强分布新的表达形式。基于模拟位相物体给出了数值模拟结果。由此得出了探测距离和多色辐照对相衬图像和位相恢复结果的影响。本文给出的结果将对同轴x射线相衬成像实验具有一定的指导作用。     

Exploring experimental parameter choice for rapid speckle‐tracking phase‐contrast X‐ray imaging with a paper analyzer

Phase‐contrast X‐ray imaging using a paper analyzer enables the visualization of X‐ray transparent biological structures using the refractive properties of the sample. The technique measures the sample‐induced distortions of a spatially random reference pattern to retrieve quantitative sample information. This phase‐contrast method is promising for biomedical application due to both a simple experimental set‐up and a capability for real‐time imaging. The authors explore the experimental configuration required to achieve robustness and accuracy in terms of (i) the paper analyzer feature size, (ii) the sample‐to‐detector distance, and (iii) the exposure time. Results using a synchrotron source confirm that the technique achieves accurate phase retrieval with a range of paper analyzers and at exposures as short as 0.5 ms. These exposure times are sufficiently short relative to characteristic physiological timescales to enable real‐time dynamic imaging of living samples. A theoretical guide to the choice of sample‐to‐detector distance is also derived. While the measurements are specific to the set‐up, these guidelines, the example speckle images, the strategies for analysis in the presence of noise and the experimental considerations and discussion will be of value to those who wish to use the speckle‐tracking paper analyzer technique.     

A new method for information retrieval in two-dimensional grating-based X-ray phase contrast imaging

Grating-based X-ray phase contrast imaging has been demonstrated to be 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 reverseprojection(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-dimensional 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.     

A comparison of iterative algorithms and a mixed approach for in-line X-ray phase retrieval

Previous studies have shown that iterative in-line X-ray phase retrieval algorithms may have higher precision than direct retrieval algorithms. This communication compares three iterative phase retrieval algorithms in terms of accuracy and efficiency using computer simulations. We found the Fourier transformation based algorithm (FT) is of the fastest convergence, while the Poisson-solver based algorithm (PS) has higher precision. The traditional Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm (GS) is very slow and sometimes does not converge in our tests. Then a mixed FT-PS algorithm is presented to achieve both high efficiency and high accuracy. The mixed algorithm is tested using simulated images with different noise level and experimentally obtained images of a piece of chicken breast muscle.     

Simulation study of phase retrieval for hard X-ray in-line phase contrast imaging

X-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) is a novel method that exploits the phase shift for the incident X-ray to form an image. For light elements such as carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, the phase-shift term can be up to 1000 times greater than the absorption term in the hard X-ray energy region. So XPCI has attracted much attention in recent years. Various methods for XPCI have been proposed and demonstrated on synchrotron devices and other X-ray sources[1―13], particularly the in-line metho…     

X‐ray analyzer‐based phase‐contrast computed laminography

X‐ray analyzer‐based phase‐contrast imaging is combined with computed laminography for imaging regions of interest in laterally extended flat specimens of weak absorption contrast. The optics discussed here consist of an asymmetrically cut collimator crystal and a symmetrically cut analyzer crystal arranged in a nondispersive (+, ?) diffraction geometry. A generalized algorithm is given for calculating multi‐contrast (absorption, refraction and phase contrast) images of a sample. Basic formulae are also presented for laminographic reconstruction. The feasibility of the method discussed was verified at the vertical wiggler beamline BL‐14B of the Photon Factory. At a wavelength of 0.0733 nm, phase‐contrast sectional images of plastic beads were successfully obtained. Owing to strong circular artifacts caused by a sample holder, the field of view was limited to about 6 mm in diameter.     

Performance analysis of quantitative phase retrieval method in Zernike phase contrast X-ray microscopy

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.     

Hard X‐ray phase‐contrast imaging with the Compact Light Source based on inverse Compton X‐rays

The first imaging results obtained from a small‐size synchrotron are reported. The newly developed Compact Light Source produces inverse Compton X‐rays at the intersection point of the counter propagating laser and electron beam. The small size of the intersection point gives a highly coherent cone beam with a few milliradian angular divergence and a few percent energy spread. These specifications make the Compact Light Source ideal for a recently developed grating‐based differential phase‐contrast imaging method.     

Alignment of low‐dose X‐ray fluorescence tomography images using differential phase contrast

X‐ray fluorescence nanotomography provides unprecedented sensitivity for studies of trace metal distributions in whole biological cells. Dose fractionation, in which one acquires very low dose individual projections and then obtains high statistics reconstructions as signal from a voxel is brought together (Hegerl & Hoppe, 1976), requires accurate alignment of these individual projections so as to correct for rotation stage runout. It is shown here that differential phase contrast at 10.2 keV beam energy offers the potential for accurate cross‐correlation alignment of successive projections, by demonstrating that successive low dose, 3 ms per pixel, images acquired at the same specimen position and rotation angle have a narrower and smoother cross‐correlation function (1.5 pixels FWHM at 300 nm pixel size) than that obtained from zinc fluorescence images (25 pixels FWHM). The differential phase contrast alignment resolution is thus well below the 700 nm × 500 nm beam spot size used in this demonstration, so that dose fractionation should be possible for reduced‐dose, more rapidly acquired, fluorescence nanotomography experiments.     

A novel imaging tool for hepatic portal system using phase contrast technique with hydrogen peroxide‐generated O2 gas

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of hydrogen peroxide‐generated oxygen gas‐based phase contrast imaging (PCI) for visualizing mouse hepatic portal veins. The O₂ gas was made from the reaction between H₂O₂ and catalase. The gas production was imaged by PCI in real time. The H₂O₂ was injected into the enteric cavity of the lower sigmoid colon to produce O₂ in the submucosal venous plexus. The generated O₂ gas could be finally drained into hepatic portal veins. Absorption contrast imaging (ACI) and PCI of O₂‐filled portal veins were performed and compared. PCI offers high resolution and real‐time visualization of the O₂ gas production. Compared with O₂‐based ACI, O₂‐based PCI significantly enhanced the revealing of the portal vein in vivo. It is concluded that O₂‐based PCI is a novel and promising imaging modality for future studies of portal venous disorders in mice models.     

Comparative study of multilayers used in monochromators for synchrotron‐based coherent hard X‐ray imaging

A systematic study is presented in which multilayers of different composition (W/Si, Mo/Si, Pd/B₄C), periodicity (from 2.5 to 5.5 nm) and number of layers have been characterized. In particular, the intrinsic quality (roughness and reflectivity) as well as the performance (homogeneity and coherence of the outgoing beam) as a monochromator for synchrotron radiation hard X‐ray micro‐imaging are investigated. The results indicate that the material composition is the dominating factor for the performance. By helping scientists and engineers specify the design parameters of multilayer monochromators, these results can contribute to a better exploitation of the advantages of multilayer monochromators over crystal‐based devices; i.e. larger spectral bandwidth and high photon flux density, which are particularly useful for synchrotron‐based micro‐radiography and ‐tomography.     

Enhanced renal image contrast by ethanol fixation in phase‐contrast X‐ray computed tomography

Phase‐contrast X‐ray imaging using a crystal X‐ray interferometer can depict the fine structures of biological objects without the use of a contrast agent. To obtain higher image contrast, fixation techniques have been examined with 100% ethanol and the commonly used 10% formalin, since ethanol causes increased density differences against background due to its physical properties and greater dehydration of soft tissue. Histological comparison was also performed. A phase‐contrast X‐ray system was used, fitted with a two‐crystal X‐ray interferometer at 35 keV X‐ray energy. Fine structures, including cortex, tubules in the medulla, and the vessels of ethanol‐fixed kidney could be visualized more clearly than that of formalin‐fixed tissues. In the optical microscopic images, shrinkage of soft tissue and decreased luminal space were observed in ethanol‐fixed kidney; and this change was significantly shown in the cortex and outer stripe of the outer medulla. The ethanol fixation technique enhances image contrast by approximately 2.7–3.2 times in the cortex and the outer stripe of the outer medulla; the effect of shrinkage and the physical effect of ethanol cause an increment of approximately 78% and 22%, respectively. Thus, the ethanol‐fixation technique enables the image contrast to be enhanced in phase‐contrast X‐ray imaging.     

A general phase retrieval algorithm based on ptychographicaliterative engine for coherent diffractive imaging

Coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) is a lensless imaging technique and can achieve a resolution beyond the Rayleigh or Abbe limit. The ptychographical iterative engine (PIE) is a CDI phase retrieval algorithm that uses multiple diffraction patterns obtained through the scan of a localized illumination on the specimen, which has been demonstrated successfully at optical and X-ray wavelengths. In this paper, a general PIE algorithm (gPIE) is presented and demonstrated with an He-Ne laser light diffraction dataset. This algorithm not only permits the removal of the accurate model of the illumination function in PIE, but also provides improved convergence speed and retrieval quality.     

X‐ray grating interferometer for biomedical imaging applications at Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility

An X‐ray grating interferometer was installed at the BL13W beamline of Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) for biomedical imaging applications. Compared with imaging results from conventional absorption‐based micro‐computed tomography, this set‐up has shown much better soft tissue imaging capability. In particular, using the set‐up, the carotid artery and the carotid vein in a formalin‐fixed mouse can be visualized in situ without contrast agents, paving the way for future applications in cancer angiography studies. The overall results have demonstrated the broad prospects of the existing set‐up for biomedical imaging applications at SSRF.     

Image contrast in X‐ray reflection interface microscopy: comparison of data with model calculations and simulations

The contrast mechanism for imaging molecular‐scale features on solid surfaces is described for X‐ray reflection interface microscopy (XRIM) through comparison of experimental images with model calculations and simulated measurements. Images of elementary steps show that image contrast is controlled by changes in the incident angle of the X‐ray beam with respect to the sample surface. Systematic changes in the magnitude and sign of image contrast are asymmetric for angular deviations of the sample from the specular reflection condition. No changes in image contrast are observed when defocusing the condenser or objective lenses. These data are explained with model structure‐factor calculations that reproduce all of the qualitative features observed in the experimental data. These results provide new insights into the image contrast mechanism, including contrast reversal as a function of incident angle, the sensitivity of image contrast to step direction (i.e. up versus down), and the ability to maximize image contrast at almost any scattering condition defined by the vertical momentum transfer, Q_z. The full surface topography can then, in principle, be recovered by a series of images as a function of incident angle at fixed momentum transfer. Inclusion of relevant experimental details shows that the image contrast magnitude is controlled by the intersection of the reciprocal‐space resolution function (i.e. controlled by numerical aperture of the condenser and objective lenses) and the spatially resolved interfacial structure factor of the object being imaged. Together these factors reduce the nominal contrast for a step near the specular reflection condition to a value similar to that observed experimentally. This formalism demonstrates that the XRIM images derive from limited aperture contrast, and explains how non‐zero image contrast can be obtained when imaging a pure phase object corresponding to the interfacial topography.