3D elemental distribution images by XRFμCT at LNLS—Brazil

Abstract

An X-ray Transmission Microtomography (CT) system combined with an X-ray Fluorescence Microtomography (XRFμCT) system was implemented in the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), Campinas, Brazil. The main objective of this work is to determine the elemental distribution in biological samples (breast, prostate and lung samples) in order to verify the concentration of some elements correlated with characteristics and pathology of each tissue observed by the transmission CT. The experiments were performed at the X-Ray Fluorescence beamline (D09B-XRF) of the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory, Campinas, Brazil. A quasi-monochromatic beam produced by a multilayer monochromator was used as an incident beam. The sample was placed on a high precision goniometer and translation stages that allow its rotation as well as translation perpendicular to the beam. The fluorescence photons were collected with an energy dispersive HPGe detector placed at 90° to the incident beam, while transmitted photons were detected with a fast Na(Tl) scintillation counter placed behind the sample on the beam direction. The CT images were reconstructed using a filtered back-projection algorithm and the XRFμCT were reconstructed using a filtered back-projection algorithm with absorption corrections. The 3D images were reconstructed using the 3D-DOCTOR software.