Dual-energy X-ray CT Research Articles

Comparison of Associations of DXA and CT Visceral Adipose Tissue Measures With Insulin Resistance, Lipid Levels, and Inflammatory Markers

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) measured by computed tomography (CT) is related to insulin resistance, lipids, and serum inflammatory markers. Our objective was to compare the strength of the associations of VAT measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA-VAT) and CT (CT-VAT) with insulin resistance, serum lipids, and serum markers of inflammation. For 1117 men aged 65 and older enrolled in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study, the cross-sectional associations of DXA-VAT and CT-VAT with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (homa2ir), C-reactive protein, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were estimated with regression models and compared using a Hausman test. Adjusted for age and body mass index, DXA-VAT was moderately associated with homa2ir (effect size 0.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28–0.47) and modestly associated with HDL cholesterol (DXA effect size −0.29, 95% CI: −0.38 to −0.21). These associations were significantly greater than those for CT-VAT with homa2ir (0.30, 95% CI: 0.24–0.37; p value for effect size difference 0.03) and CT-VAT with HDL cholesterol (−0.22, 95% CI: −0.29 to −0.15; p value for difference 0.005). Neither DXA-VAT nor CT-VAT was associated with C-reactive protein after adjustment for age and body mass index (DXA-VAT effect size 0.14, 95% CI: −0.04 to 0.32; CT-VAT effect size 0.08, 95% CI: −0.08 to 0.25; p value for difference 0.35). DXA-VAT has similar or greater associations with insulin resistance and HDL cholesterol as does CT-VAT in older men, confirming the concurrent validity of DXA-VAT. Investigations of how well DXA measurements of VAT predict incident cardiovascular disease events are warranted.

Diagnosing the Undiagnosed: Osteoporosis in Patients Undergoing Lumbar Fusion.

Retrospective analysis. The aim of the study was to report the incidence of undiagnosed osteoporosis in patients undergoing lumbar spine fusion using computed tomography (CT) Hounsfield units (HU). We used a recent technique utilizing HU to estimate bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and hypothesized that this technique would reveal a high percentage of undiagnosed osteoporotic patients undergoing transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). We reviewed patients older than 50 years undergoing TLIF from a single-center and multiple surgeons. We determined the mean HU of L4 on axial CT. Average HU values for patients with diagnosed lumbar osteoporosis (DEXA BMD <0.75 g/cm) were compared to patients with osteopenia and normal BMD (between 0.75 and 0.9 g/cm and >0.9 g/cm, respectively). The percentage of patients with HU values consistent with osteoporosis, but without any formal evaluation, was also calculated. Over 10 years, 143 patients older than 50 years underwent TLIF, and 128 had available perioperative lumbar CT scans. Men and Women comprised 60.2% and 39.8% of the population, respectively. Average age was 61.5 years (range: 50.0-83.5 years). Twenty-nine patients had both dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and CT data available for analysis. There was a significant association with decreased HU in patients with lumbar BMD less than 0.75 g/cm (105.6 HU, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.76) in comparison to patients with osteopenia (146.0 HU, 95% CI 4.09) and with normal BMD (165.9, 95% CI 21.35). Ten men (7.8%) and 15 women (11.7%) had HU values consistent with osteoporosis. Sixty-four percent of patients with osteoporotic HU values had never been formally evaluated for the disease. HU may be an alternative to screening preoperative dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan and can minimize costs and resource utilization. We found a large proportion of patients older than 50 years undergoing TLIF had HU levels consistent with undiagnosed osteoporosis of the lumbar spine. 4.

Line Integral Alternating Minimization Algorithm for Dual-Energy X-Ray CT Image Reconstruction.

We propose a new algorithm, called line integral alternating minimization (LIAM), for dual-energy X-ray CT image reconstruction. Instead of obtaining component images by minimizing the discrepancy between the data and the mean estimates, LIAM allows for a tunable discrepancy between the basis material projections and the basis sinograms. A parameter is introduced that controls the size of this discrepancy, and with this parameter the new algorithm can continuously go from a two-step approach to the joint estimation approach. LIAM alternates between iteratively updating the line integrals of the component images and reconstruction of the component images using an image iterative deblurring algorithm. An edge-preserving penalty function can be incorporated in the iterative deblurring step to decrease the roughness in component images. Images from both simulated and experimentally acquired sinograms from a clinical scanner were reconstructed by LIAM while varying the regularization parameters to identify good choices. The results from the dual-energy alternating minimization algorithm applied to the same data were used for comparison. Using a small fraction of the computation time of dual-energy alternating minimization, LIAM achieves better accuracy of the component images in the presence of Poisson noise for simulated data reconstruction and achieves the same level of accuracy for real data reconstruction.

A 100 kW high voltage power supply for dual energy computer tomography applications

Dual energy X-ray computer tomography (CT) offers enhanced imaging and reduced radiation dose. A conventional technique is using two tubes, each energized by its high voltage power supply (HVPS) at different voltage levels. This approach is straightforward but costly. An alternative is using a single tube fed by an HVPS capable of generating these same voltages with fast transitions from one state to another. A conventional HVPS with exceptionally fast dynamics is less costly than a modulator employing a set of HV switches. Such an HVPS is described in this paper. Key technology includes an all-solid-state modular IGBT-based HV converter with energy-dosing inverters operating at up to 70 kHz. The inverters’ output voltages are phase-shifted, which yields low ripple and fast risetime combined with low stored energy. Controls provide standard operating features and means of communicating with the outside world. Digital processing enables predictive control for generating clean transitions from one state to another in a wide range of load/line conditions. The HVPS incorporates also two filament power supplies and a high-speed starter. Results of extensive testing with both resistive loads and X-ray tubes are presented. The developed techniques can also be used in other applications requiring low-cost generation of high-power HV pulses submillisecond- to many seconds-long.

Learning-Based Object Identification and Segmentation Using Dual-Energy CT Images for Security.

In recent years, baggage screening at airports has included the use of dual-energy X-ray computed tomography (DECT), an advanced technology for nondestructive evaluation. The main challenge remains to reliably find and identify threat objects in the bag from DECT data. This task is particularly hard due to the wide variety of objects, the high clutter, and the presence of metal, which causes streaks and shading in the scanner images. Image noise and artifacts are generally much more severe than in medical CT and can lead to splitting of objects and inaccurate object labeling. The conventional approach performs object segmentation and material identification in two decoupled processes. Dual-energy information is typically not used for the segmentation, and object localization is not explicitly used to stabilize the material parameter estimates. We propose a novel learning-based framework for joint segmentation and identification of objects directly from volumetric DECT images, which is robust to streaks, noise and variability due to clutter. We focus on segmenting and identifying a small set of objects of interest with characteristics that are learned from training images, and consider everything else as background. We include data weighting to mitigate metal artifacts and incorporate an object boundary field to reduce object splitting. The overall formulation is posed as a multilabel discrete optimization problem and solved using an efficient graph-cut algorithm. We test the method on real data and show its potential for producing accurate labels of the objects of interest without splits in the presence of metal and clutter.

PO-0959: Optimal dose balance between energy levels for material decomposition with dual-energy X-ray CT

Dual-energy X-ray imaging is used to extract quantitative material information, e.g., electron density and effective atomic number Z, using the differencesof X-ray attenuation coefficients of materials at different energies. A detailed study of factors that could influence the precision of extracted data is of importance. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal dose balance between the low and the high voltage acquisitions for material decomposition with dual-energy X-ray CT.

Measurement of effective atomic numbers using energy-resolved computed tomography

For ion radiation therapy, the measurement of effective atomic numbers, Zeff, is necessary to know the material distribution in a human body; the range of ions entering the human body is influenced by the material distribution along their paths. Zeff, however, cannot be measured at hospitals because monochromatic X-rays with different energies are necessary and are used only at synchrotron facilities. To make Zeff measurements at hand, we propose energy-resolved computed tomography (CT) using a “transXend detector”. By assigning two narrow energy ranges in the unfolding process of the data obtained by the transXend detector, Zeff for acrylic and aluminum can be estimated by energy-resolved CT. The estimated Zeff are compared with those obtained by dual-energy and monochromatic X-ray CT.

Model-Based Iterative Reconstruction for Dual-Energy X-Ray CT Using a Joint Quadratic Likelihood Model

Dual-energy X-ray CT (DECT) has the potential to improve contrast and reduce artifacts as compared to traditional CT. Moreover, by applying model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) to dual-energy data, one might also expect to reduce noise and improve resolution. However, the direct implementation of dual-energy MBIR requires the use of a nonlinear forward model, which increases both complexity and computation. Alternatively, simplified forward models have been used which treat the material-decomposed channels separately, but these approaches do not fully account for the statistical dependencies in the channels. In this paper, we present a method for joint dual-energy MBIR (JDE-MBIR), which simplifies the forward model while still accounting for the complete statistical dependency in the material-decomposed sinogram components. The JDE-MBIR approach works by using a quadratic approximation to the polychromatic log-likelihood and a simple but exact nonnegativity constraint in the image domain. We demonstrate that our method is particularly effective when the DECT system uses fast kVp switching, since in this case the model accounts for the inaccuracy of interpolated sinogram entries. Both phantom and clinical results show that the proposed model produces images that compare favorably in quality to previous decomposition-based methods, including FBP and other statistical iterative approaches.

Optimization of Dual-Energy Xenon–Computed Tomography for Quantitative Assessment of Regional Pulmonary Ventilation

Dual-energy x-ray computed tomography (DECT) offers visualization of the airways and quantitation of regional pulmonary ventilation using a single breath of inhaled xenon gas. In this study, we sought to optimize scanning protocols for DECT xenon gas ventilation imaging of the airways and lung parenchyma and to characterize the quantitative nature of the developed protocols through a series of test-object and animal studies. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved all animal studies reported here. A range of xenon/oxygen gas mixtures (0%, 20%, 25%, 33%, 50%, 66%, 100%; balance oxygen) were scanned in syringes and balloon test-objects to optimize the delivered gas mixture for assessment of regional ventilation while allowing for the development of improved 3-material decomposition calibration parameters. In addition, to alleviate gravitational effects on xenon gas distribution, we replaced a portion of the oxygen in the xenon/oxygen gas mixture with helium and compared gas distributions in a rapid-prototyped human central-airway test-object. Additional syringe tests were performed to determine if the introduction of helium had any effect on xenon quantitation. Xenon gas mixtures were delivered to anesthetized swine to assess airway and lung parenchymal opacification while evaluating various DECT scan acquisition settings. Attenuation curves for xenon were obtained from the syringe test-objects and were used to develop improved 3-material decomposition parameters (Hounsfield unit enhancement per percentage xenon: within the chest phantom, 2.25 at 80 kVp, 1.7 at 100 kVp, and 0.76 at 140 kVp with tin filtration; in open air, 2.5 at 80 kVp, 1.95 at 100 kVp, and 0.81 at 140 kVp with tin filtration). The addition of helium improved the distribution of xenon gas to the gravitationally nondependent portion of the airway tree test-object, while not affecting the quantitation of xenon in the 3-material decomposition DECT. The mixture 40% Xe/40% He/20% O2 provided good signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), greater than the Rose criterion (SNR > 5), while avoiding gravitational effects of similar concentrations of xenon in a 60% O2 mixture. Compared with 100/140 Sn kVp, 80/140 Sn kVp (Sn = tin filtered) provided improved SNR in a swine with an equivalent thoracic transverse density to a human subject with a body mass index of 33 kg/m. Airways were brighter in the 80/140 Sn kVp scan (80/140 Sn, 31.6%; 100/140 Sn, 25.1%) with considerably lower noise (80/140 Sn, coefficient of variation of 0.140; 100/140 Sn, coefficient of variation of 0.216). To provide a truly quantitative measure of regional lung function with xenon-DECT, the basic protocols and parameter calibrations need to be better understood and quantified. It is critically important to understand the fundamentals of new techniques to allow for proper implementation and interpretation of their results before widespread usage. With the use of an in-house derived xenon calibration curve for 3-material decomposition rather than the scanner supplied calibration and a xenon/helium/oxygen mixture, we demonstrate highly accurate quantitation of xenon gas volumes and avoid gravitational effects on gas distribution. This study provides a foundation for other researchers to use and test these methods with the goal of clinical translation.

Multiple frequency bioimpedance is an adequate tool to assess total and regional fat mass in HIV-positive patients but not to diagnose HIV-associated lipoatrophy: a pilot study

IntroductionHIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome causes systemic metabolic alterations and psychological distress that worsen the quality of life of these patients. An early detection should be considered to efficiently treat it. Objective criteria or reference indices are needed for an early diagnosis. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) is an operator-independent, repeatable and non-invasive method of body composition evaluation that is less expensive than dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and/or CT scans. The aims of this pilot study were to validate the data obtained by BIA to measure fat mass in HIV-positive patients with/without lipoatrophy and to determine if BIA correctly diagnoses lipoatrophy in HIV-positive patients.MethodsThirty-nine participants were included in this preliminary study. Fourteen were HIV-negative (eight men) whereas 25 were HIV-positive patients (17 men). Eleven of the HIV-positive patients were classified as lipoatrophic according to subjective evaluation by the physicians. Total and regional body composition was measured in basal conditions by DXA and by BIA. To obtain abdominal CT scan fat values, transverse slices with 6-mm thickness were acquired at the L4-L5 intervertebral space.ResultsBIA measurements of total and regional body fat were significantly correlated with those obtained by DXA (p < 0.05 to <0.01) in HIV-positive patients. However, agreement between methods was poor as not very high ICC (intraclass correlation coefficient) values were observed. BIA and DXA showed higher ICC values in lipoatrophic patients. The visceral index obtained by BIA was correlated with total and visceral fat in L4 measured by CT scan (r = 0.607 and r = 0.617, respectively, p < 0.01) in HIV-positive patients. The Fat Mass Ratio (FMR) calculated by BIA did not correlate or agree with DXA values.ConclusionsMulti-frequency BIA could be an effective method to evaluate the evolution of total and regional fat composition in HIV-positive patients with/without lipoatrophy. The correlations between BIA and DXA improved in lipoatrophic patients and in men, suggesting that its efficacy depends on fat mass, gender and probably other factors. The visceral index obtained by BIA seems to be a reliable indicator of abdominal obesity. However, BIA did not fulfil the need for easy quantitative diagnostic tools for lipoatrophy, and it did not provide sufficient diagnostic cut-off values for this syndrome.

Simultaneous Reduction in Noise and Cross-Contamination Artifacts for Dual-Energy X-Ray CT

Purpose. Dual-energy CT imaging tends to suffer from much lower signal-to-noise ratio than single-energy CT. In this paper, we propose an improved anticorrelated noise reduction (ACNR) method without causing cross-contamination artifacts. Methods. The proposed algorithm diffuses both basis material density images (e.g., water and iodine) at the same time using a novel correlated diffusion algorithm. The algorithm has been compared to the original ACNR algorithm in a contrast-enhanced, IRB-approved patient study. Material density accuracy and noise reduction are quantitatively evaluated by the percent density error and the percent noise reduction. Results. Both algorithms have significantly reduced the noises of basis material density images in all cases. The average percent noise reduction is 69.3% and 66.5% with the ACNR algorithm and the proposed algorithm, respectively. However, the ACNR algorithm alters the original material density by an average of 13% (or 2.18 mg/cc) with a maximum of 58.7% (or 8.97 mg/cc) in this study. This is evident in the water density images as massive cross-contaminations are seen in all five clinical cases. On the contrary, the proposed algorithm only changes the mean density by 2.4% (or 0.69 mg/cc) with a maximum of 7.6% (or 1.31 mg/cc). The cross-contamination artifacts are significantly minimized or absent with the proposed algorithm. Conclusion. The proposed algorithm can significantly reduce image noise present in basis material density images from dual-energy CT imaging, with minimized cross-contaminations compared to the ACNR algorithm.

Reduction of the Beam Hardening Artifacts in the X-Ray Computer Tomography: Energy Discrimination with a Photon-Counting Detector

The material identification is a pressing requirement for the sensitive security applications. Dual-energy X-ray computer tomography (DXCT) has been investigated for material identification in the medical and security fields. It requires two tomographic images at sufficiently different energies. To discriminate dangerous materials of light elements such as plastic bombs in luggage, it is needed to measure accurately with several tens of kilo electron volts where such materials exhibit significant spectral differences. However, CT images in that energy region often include artifacts from beam hardening. To reduce these artifacts, a novel reconstruction method has been investigated. It is an extension of the Algebraic Reconstruction Technique and Total Variation (ART-TV) method that reduces the artifacts in a lower-energy CT image by referencing it to an image obtained at higher energy. The CT image of a titanium sample was reconstructed using this method in order to demonstrate the artifact reduction capability.

Dual-energy attenuation coefficient decomposition with differential filtration and application to a microCT scanner

Dual-energy x-ray computed tomography (DECT) has the capability to decompose attenuation coefficients using two basis functions and has proved its potential in reducing beam-hardening artifacts from reconstructed images. The method typically involves two successive scans with different x-ray tube voltage settings. This work proposes an approach to dual-energy imaging through x-ray beam filtration that requires only one scan and a single tube voltage setting. It has been implemented in a preclinical microCT tomograph with minor modifications. Retrofitting of the microCT scanner involved the addition of an automated filter wheel and modifications to the acquisition and reconstruction software. Results show that beam-hardening artifacts are reduced to noise level. Acquisition of a μ-Compton image is well suited for attenuation-correction of PET images while dynamic energy selection (4D viewing) offers flexibility in image viewing by adjusting contrast and noise levels to suit the task at hand. All dual-energy and single energy reference scans were acquired at the same soft tissue dose level of 50 mGy.

Metabolic Changes Following a 1-Year Diet and Exercise Intervention in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVETo characterize the relationships among long-term improvements in peripheral insulin sensitivity (glucose disposal rate [GDR]), fasting glucose, and free fatty acids (FFAs) and concomitant changes in weight and adipose tissue mass and distribution induced by lifestyle intervention in obese individuals with type 2 diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWe measured GDR, fasting glucose, and FFAs during a euglycemic clamp and adipose tissue mass and distribution, organ fat, and adipocyte size by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, CT scan, and adipose tissue biopsy in 26 men and 32 women in the Look-AHEAD trial before and after 1 year of diet and exercise aimed at weight loss.RESULTSWeight and fasting glucose decreased significantly (P < 0.0001) and significantly more in men than in women (−12 vs. −8% and −16 vs. −7%, respectively; P < 0.05), while FFAs during hyperinsulinemia decreased and GDR increased significantly (P < 0.00001) and similarly in both sexes (−53 vs. −41% and 63 vs. 43%; P = NS). Men achieved a more favorable fat distribution by losing more from upper compared with lower and from deeper compared with superficial adipose tissue depots (P < 0.01). Decreases in weight and adipose tissue mass predicted improvements in GDR but not in fasting glucose or fasting FFAs; however, decreases in FFAs during hyperinsulinemia significantly determined GDR improvements. Hepatic fat was the only regional fat measure whose change contributed independently to changes in metabolic variables.CONCLUSIONSPatients with type 2 diabetes undergoing a 1-year lifestyle intervention had significant improvements in GDR, fasting glucose, FFAs and adipose tissue distribution. However, changes in overall weight (adipose tissue mass) and hepatic fat were the most important determinants of metabolic improvements.

Measurement of electron density in dual‐energy x‐ray CT with monochromatic x rays and evaluation of its accuracy

Information on electron density is important for radiotherapy treatment planning in order to optimize the dose distribution in the target volume of a patient. At present, the electron density is derived from a computed tomography (CT) number measured in x-ray CT scanning; however, there are uncertainties due to the beam hardening effect and the method by which the electron density is converted from the CT number. In order to measure the electron density with an accuracy of +/-1%, the authors have developed dual-energy x ray CT using monochromatic x rays. They experimentally proved that the measured linear attenuation coefficients were only a few percent lower than the theoretical ones, which led to an accuracy within 2% for the electron density. There were three factors causing inaccuracy in the linear attenuation coefficient and the electron density: the influence of scattered radiation, the nonlinearity in the detector response function, and a theoretical process to derive the electron density from the linear attenuation coefficients. The linear attenuation coefficients of water were experimentally proved to differ by 1%-2% from the theoretical one even when the scattering effect was negligible. The nonlinearity of the response function played an important role in correcting the difference in the linear attenuation coefficient. Furthermore, the theoretical process used for deriving the electron density from the linear attenuation coefficients introduces about 0.6% deviation from the theoretical value into the resultant electron density. This deviation occurs systematically so that it can be corrected. The authors measured the electron densities for seven samples equivalent to soft tissue in dual-energy x-ray CT, and finally obtained them with an accuracy of around +/-1%.

Atomic Number and Electron Density Measurement Using a Conventional X-ray Tube and a CdTe Detector

In order to apply the dual-energy technique to material identification, a new computed tomography scanning system was proposed using a conventional X-ray tube and a CdTe detector. This system can provide information of projection data at two distinct energy bands for scanned materials. After introducing an approximation, the measured projection data were reconstructed to obtain the distributions of the X-ray linear attenuation coefficients of the materials at two different energies. Then, the corresponding atomic number and electron density can be derived with the dual-energy X-ray computed tomography (DXCT) method adopted. By comparing the obtained results with theoretical ones, the feasibility of using this system for identifying low-Z materials was demonstrated in this study.

MEDICAL APPLICATION OF MULTI-BEAM COMPTON SCATTERING MONOCHROMATIC TUNABLE HARD X-RAY SOURCE

Compton scattering hard X-ray source which consists of an X-band (11.424 GHz) electron linear accelerator and YAG laser is under construction at Nuclear Professional School, the University of Tokyo. Monochromatic hard X-rays are required for variety of medical and biological applications. Our scheme of the hard X-ray source is to produce a monochromatic hard X-ray via collision between 35 MeV electron beam and 2.5 J/10 nsec Nd:YAG laser. In order to increase the efficiency of the X-ray yield, we adopt a laser pulse circulation system. In our case, the laser pulse circulation system can increase the X-ray intensity of up to 10 times. Main features of our scheme are to produce monochromatic tunable hard (10-40 keV) X-rays with the intensities of 108-109 photons/sec. In addition, X-ray energy can be changed with rapidly by 40 ms by introducing two different wavelength lasers (YAG fundamental (1064 nm), 2nd harmonic (532 nm)) and optical switch. This quick energy change is indispensable to living specimens and very difficult by a large SR light source and others. Dual-energy X-ray CT and subtraction X-ray CT are available to determine 3D distribution of atomic number density and electron density, and specified atomic distribution, respectively. Here, the construction status of the X-band beam line and the application plan of the hard X-ray are described and discussed.

Dual-energy X-ray CT with a vertically expanded irradiation field

Dual energy X-ray CT was carried out with synchrotron radiation at BL20B2 beam line of JASRI/SPring-8. The X-ray beams were vertically magnified by employing an asymmetry Bragg reflection geometry. The field size was about 25 mm×250 mm at the end of the beam line. Porcine eyes and brain and water were used as samples. The DXCT provided the highly accurate information on an electron density; the electron density of water was in agreement of about 0.6% with the theoretical value. Images of the electron density and an effective atomic number had good quality sufficient for medical applications.

MULTI-BEAM COMPTON SCATTERING MONOCHROMATIC TUNABLE HARD X-RAY SOURCE

Compton scattering hard X-ray source which consists of an X-band (11.424 GHz) electron linear accelerator and YAG laser is under construction at Nuclear Professional School, the University of Tokyo (UTNS). Monochromatic hard X-rays are required for variety of medical and biological applications. Our scheme of the hard X-ray source is to produce a monochromatic hard X-ray via collision between 35 MeV electron beam and 2.5 J/10 nsec Nd : YAG laser. In order to increase the efficiency of the X-ray yield, we adopt a laser pulse circulation system. In our case, the laser pulse circulation system can increase the X-ray intensity of up to 50 times. Main features of our scheme are to produce monochromatic tunable hard (10-40 keV) X-rays with the intensities of 108-109 photons/sec. In addition, X-ray energy can be changed with rapidly by 40 ms by introducing two different wavelength lasers (YAG fundamental (1064 nm), 2nd harmonic (532 nm)) and optical switch. This quick energy change is indispensable to living specimens and very difficult by a large SR light source and others. We designed a laser pulse circulation system to increase the X-ray yield 10 times higher (up to 108 photons/RF pulse, 109 photons/sec). It can be proved that the laser total increases 10 times higher by principle experiment with lower energy laser (25 mJ/pulse). Dual-energy X-ray CT and subtraction X-ray CT are available to determine 3D distribution of atomicc number density and electron density, and specified atomic distribution, respectively. Here, the construction status of the X-band beam line and the application plan of the hard X-ray will be reported.

Two-colored Laser Circulation System for Monochromatic Tunable Hard X-ray Source

A two-colored laser pulse circulation system for a monochromatic tunable hard X-ray source via laser electron Compton scattering is investigated. The demonstration system of the X-ray source is under construction at the University of Tokyo. It consists of the X-band (11.424 GHz) electron linear accelerator and two Nd: YAG laser systems. The main advantage of this system is a monochromatic tunable hard X-ray. It is calculated that the X-ray intensity will be about 108 photons/s. In order to enhance the X-ray intensity for medical applications such as dual energy X-ray CT, a two-colored laser pulse circulation system has been designed. The laser pulse circulation experiment without an electron beam has been carried out by using a Nd: YAG laser fundamental wave (50 mJ) and a second harmonics wave (25 mJ). The result shows that the X-ray intensity can be enhanced by a factor of 10 times higher (i.e., up to 109 photons/s). This work is a part of the JST (Japan Science and Technology Agency) project. The entire X-ray source system is a part of a larger national project on the development of an advanced compact medical accelerator sponsored by the NIRS (National Institute for Radiological Science). The University of Tokyo and KEK are responsible for the X-ray source.