Synchrotron hard x-ray microprobe: Fluorescence imaging of single cells

Abstract

Imaging of trace elements in single cells was achieved by synchrotron-induced x-ray fluorescence (SXRF) in the hard x-ray range. Monochromatic and “pink” excitations at 14 keV were used with compound refractive lenses resulting in a 1×10 μm2 beam size. The experiment shows that SXRF is well suited for microanalysis of freeze-dried cells, and demonstrated high accuracy in quantitative imaging of trace element in cells treated with pharmacological doses of an iodine-labeled anticancer drug.