Phase Contrast Imaging System Research Articles

THz band-stop filter using metamaterials surfaced on LiNbO(3) sub-wavelength slab waveguide.

We designed and implemented periodic bar arrays metamaterials to select appropriate frequencies of terahertz (THz) waves propagating in a LiNbO(3) sub-wavelength waveguide. The spatial and temporal electric field profiles of the THz waves were recorded using a time-resolved phase-contrast imaging system. The metamaterials can operate as a band-stop filter to realize blocking back THz waves in a band range of 0.6-1.0 THz, while transparent transmission for the fundamental mode of the slab over a range of 0.3-0.6 THz.

同轴法射线相衬成像的数值模拟计算与分析

同轴法射线相衬成像的数值模拟计算与分析

Analyzer-based phase-contrast imaging system using a micro focus X-ray source.

Here we describe a new in-laboratory analyzer based phase contrast-imaging (ABI) instrument using a conventional X-ray tube source (CXS) aimed at bio-medical imaging applications. Phase contrast-imaging allows visualization of soft tissue details usually obscured in conventional X-ray imaging. The ABI system design and major features are described in detail. The key advantage of the presented system, over the few existing CXS ABI systems, is that it does not require high precision components, i.e., CXS, X-ray detector, and electro-mechanical components. To overcome a main problem introduced by these components, identified as temperature stability, the system components are kept at a constant temperature inside of three enclosures, thus minimizing the electrical and mechanical thermal drifts. This is achieved by using thermoelectric (Peltier) cooling/heating modules that are easy to control precisely. For CXS we utilized a microfocus X-ray source with tungsten (W) anode material. In addition the proposed system eliminates tungsten's multiple spectral lines by selecting monochromator crystal size appropriately therefore eliminating need for the costly mismatched, two-crystal monochromator. The system imaging was fine-tuned for tungsten Kα1 line with the energy of 59.3 keV since it has been shown to be of great clinical significance by a number of researchers at synchrotron facilities. In this way a laboratory system that can be used for evaluating and quantifying tissue properties, initially explored at synchrotron facilities, would be of great interest to a larger research community. To demonstrate the imaging capability of our instrument we use a chicken thigh tissue sample.

Characterization of inertial confinement fusion targets using X-ray phase contrast imaging

The X-ray in-line phase contrast imaging system based on the mircofocus X-ray source is developed for characterizing the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) targets. The influence of various factors such as the source-to-object distance and the object-to-scintillator distance on the image resolution and contrast is investigated experimentally. The best resolution of the system is tested to be about 1μm. The wall thickness and the inner surface roughness of plastic targets are measured by the phase contrast imaging with the resolution of 1.3μm. Moreover, by means of a closed-cycle cryostat with the lowest temperature of 13K, the condensation of deuterium (D2) in glass shell is in-situ characterized with the resolution up to 1.5μm.

Monte Carlo model of a polychromatic laboratory based edge illumination x-ray phase contrast system

A Monte Carlo model of a polychromatic laboratory based (coded aperture) edge illumination x-ray phase contrast imaging system has been developed and validated against experimental data. The ability for the simulation framework to be used to model two-dimensional images is also shown. The Monte Carlo model has been developed using the McXtrace engine and is polychromatic, i.e., results are obtained through the use of the full x-ray spectrum rather than an effective energy. This type of simulation can in future be used to model imaging of objects with complex geometry, for system prototyping, as well as providing a first step towards the development of a simulation for modelling dose delivery as a part of translating the imaging technique for use in clinical environments.

Contrast transfer function in grating-based x-ray phase-contrast imaging

x-Ray grating interferometry is a method for x-ray wave front sensing and phase-contrast imaging that has been developed over past few years. Contrast and resolution are the criteria used to specify the quality of an image. In characterizing the performance of this interferometer, the contrast transfer function is considered in this paper. The oscillatory nature of the contrast transfer function (CTF) is derived and quantified for this interferometer. The illumination source and digital detector are both considered as significant factors controlling image quality, and it can be noted that contrast and resolution in turn depends primarily on the projected intensity profile of the array source and the pixel size of the detector. Furthermore, a test pattern phantom with a well-controlled range of spatial frequencies was designed and imaging of this phantom was simulated by a computer. Contrast transfer function behavior observed in the simulated image is consistent with our theoretical CTF. This might be beneficial for the evaluation and optimization of a grating-based x-ray phase contrast imaging system.

The impact on the X-ray phase contrast imaging clarity of the light source area

Based on the partially coherent optical theory, a new theoretical model is established about the X-ray light source radius of X-ray phase contrast imaging system. Through the integral phase contrast modulation transfer function, a comprehensive analysis about the light source radius is made. Then the light source radius selection methods are investigated. Finally, an actual imaging experiment is shown to confirm the choice method of light source radius in X-ray phase contrast imaging system.

The choice method of light source radius in x-ray phase contrast imaging system

Based on the partially coherent optical theory, a new theoretical model is established about the x-ray light source radius of x-ray phase contrast imaging system. Through the integral phase contrast modulation transfer function, a comprehensive analysis about the light source radius is made. Then the light source radius selection methods are investigated. Finally, an actual imaging experiment is shown to confirm the choice method of light source radius in an x-ray phase contrast imaging system.

Method for automatization of the alignment of a laboratory based x-ray phase contrast edge illumination system.

Here we present a general alignment algorithm for an edge illumination x-ray phase contrast imaging system, which is used with the laboratory systems developed at UCL. It has the flexibility to be used with all current mask designs, and could also be applied to future synchrotron based systems. The algorithm has proved to be robust experimentally, and can be used for the automatization of future commercial systems through automatic alignment and alignment correction.

Experiment on the object-image distance parameter in the X-ray phase contrast imaging system

For the X-ray phase contrast imaging system, in addition to the hardware-related parameters, the object-image distance is an important parameter that affects the imaging results. Based on the Fresnel diffraction theory, the X-ray phase contrast formation mechanism is analyzed to find the theoretical relationship between the object-image distance parameter and the image contrast. Through the experimental simulation on a ball model, images with edge enhancement effect and image contrast data were obtained with regard to different object-image distance conditions. The analysis and experimental results show that, clear image information about the edges of the sample structures can be got if the object-image distance parameter is set suitably.

Screening Compounds with a Novel High-Throughput ABCB1-Mediated Efflux Assay Identifies Drugs with Known Therapeutic Targets at Risk for Multidrug Resistance Interference

ABCB1, also known as P-glycoprotein (P-gp) or multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1), is a membrane-associated multidrug transporter of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family. It is one of the most widely studied transporters that enable cancer cells to develop drug resistance. Reliable high-throughput assays that can identify compounds that interact with ABCB1 are crucial for developing new therapeutic drugs. A high-throughput assay for measuring ABCB1-mediated calcein AM efflux was developed using a fluorescent and phase-contrast live cell imaging system. This assay demonstrated the time- and dose-dependent accumulation of fluorescent calcein in ABCB1-overexpressing KB-V1 cells. Validation of the assay was performed with known ABCB1 inhibitors, XR9576, verapamil, and cyclosporin A, all of which displayed dose-dependent inhibition of ABCB1-mediated calcein AM efflux in this assay. Phase-contrast and fluorescent images taken by the imaging system provided additional opportunities for evaluating compounds that are cytotoxic or produce false positive signals. Compounds with known therapeutic targets and a kinase inhibitor library were screened. The assay identified multiple agents as inhibitors of ABCB1-mediated efflux and is highly reproducible. Among compounds identified as ABCB1 inhibitors, BEZ235, BI 2536, IKK 16, and ispinesib were further evaluated. The four compounds inhibited calcein AM efflux in a dose-dependent manner and were also active in the flow cytometry-based calcein AM efflux assay. BEZ235, BI 2536, and IKK 16 also successfully inhibited the labeling of ABCB1 with radiolabeled photoaffinity substrate [125I]iodoarylazidoprazosin. Inhibition of ABCB1 with XR9576 and cyclosporin A enhanced the cytotoxicity of BI 2536 to ABCB1-overexpressing cancer cells, HCT-15-Pgp, and decreased the IC50 value of BI 2536 by several orders of magnitude. This efficient, reliable, and simple high-throughput assay has identified ABCB1 substrates/inhibitors that may influence drug potency or drug-drug interactions and predict multidrug resistance in clinical treatment.

Phase-contrast X-ray imaging system with sub-mg/cm3 density resolution

We improved the mechanical stability of the optical components of a two-crystal X-ray interferometer used in a phase-contrast X-ray imaging system. A branch beamline was dedicated to the system to suppress the rotation caused by the thermal drift, and the feedback system for stabilizing the interferometer was renewed to speed up the feedback frequency. An interference pattern with 80% visibility was successfully generated using a 17.8-keV synchrotron X-ray. The mechanical stability of the optical components attained was 12 prad over 10 hours, and the rotational accuracy was less than 50 prad by using the new feedback systems. Fine observations of biomedical and organic material samples were successfully performed. We achieved a density resolution of the sectional image of about 0.3 mg/cm3.

基于图像信噪比的X射线同轴相衬成像系统设计

基于图像信噪比的X射线同轴相衬成像系统设计

The second‐order differential phase contrast and its retrieval for imaging with x‐ray Talbot interferometry

The x-ray differential phase contrast imaging implemented with the Talbot interferometry has recently been reported to be capable of providing tomographic images corresponding to attenuation-contrast, phase-contrast, and dark-field contrast, simultaneously, from a single set of projection data. The authors believe that, along with small-angle x-ray scattering, the second-order phase derivative Φ(") (s)(x) plays a role in the generation of dark-field contrast. In this paper, the authors derive the analytic formulae to characterize the contribution made by the second-order phase derivative to the dark-field contrast (namely, second-order differential phase contrast) and validate them via computer simulation study. By proposing a practical retrieval method, the authors investigate the potential of second-order differential phase contrast imaging for extensive applications. The theoretical derivation starts at assuming that the refractive index decrement of an object can be decomposed into δ = δ(s) + δ(f), where δ(f) corresponds to the object's fine structures and manifests itself in the dark-field contrast via small-angle scattering. Based on the paraxial Fresnel-Kirchhoff theory, the analytic formulae to characterize the contribution made by δ(s), which corresponds to the object's smooth structures, to the dark-field contrast are derived. Through computer simulation with specially designed numerical phantoms, an x-ray differential phase contrast imaging system implemented with the Talbot interferometry is utilized to evaluate and validate the derived formulae. The same imaging system is also utilized to evaluate and verify the capability of the proposed method to retrieve the second-order differential phase contrast for imaging, as well as its robustness over the dimension of detector cell and the number of steps in grating shifting. Both analytic formulae and computer simulations show that, in addition to small-angle scattering, the contrast generated by the second-order derivative is magnified substantially by the ratio of detector cell dimension over grating period, which plays a significant role in dark-field imaging implemented with the Talbot interferometry. The analytic formulae derived in this work to characterize the second-order differential phase contrast in the dark-field imaging implemented with the Talbot interferometry are of significance, which may initiate more activities in the research and development of x-ray differential phase contrast imaging for extensive preclinical and eventually clinical applications.

X-ray phase-contrast CO2 angiography for sub-10 μm vessel imaging

X-ray in-line phase contrast has recently been combined with CO2 angiography for high-resolution small-animal vascular imaging at low radiation dose. In this paper we further investigate the potential and limitations of this method and demonstrate observation of vessels down to 8 μm in diameter, considerably smaller than the 60 μm previously reported. Our in-line phase-contrast imaging system is based on a liquid-metal-jet-anode x-ray source and utilizes free-space propagation to convert phase shifts, caused by refractive index variations, into intensity differences. Enhanced refractive index variations are obtained through injection of CO2 gas into the vascular system to replace the blood. We show rat-kidney images with blood vessels down to 27 μm in diameter and mouse-ear images with vessels down to 8 μm. The minimum size of observable blood vessels is found to be limited by the penetration of gas into the vascular system and the signal-to-noise ratio, i.e. the allowed dose. The diameters of vessels being gas-filled depend on the gas pressure and follow a simple model based on surface tension. A theoretical signal-to-noise comparison shows that this method requires 1000 times less radiation dose than conventional iodine-based absorption contrast for observing sub-50 μm vessels.

An integral phase contrast modulation transfer function for X-ray phase contrast imaging

Based on the partially coherent optical theory, an integral phase contrast modulation transfer function model is established for X-ray phase contrast imaging system, the model can be used to study the impact of X-ray source size on the X-ray phase contrast imaging system. Then, with the help of simulation and calculation, we give a comprehensive analysis about the influence of the X-ray source size on the overall phase contrast imaging system, Finally, The experimental results are given out to demonstrate its application.

Two-step phase retrieval method with unknown phase shift on non-absorbtion grating X-ray differential phase contrast imaging system

Conventional phase retrieval methods for X-ray differential phase-contrast imaging are carried out with at least three interferograms. In this contribution, we present a novel two-step phase-shifting algorithm with an arbitrary unknown phase shift between 0 and π. Based on the detecting model of a grating interferometer, the unknown phase shifts are extracted by a noniterative algorithm. Then the phase distribution of the detected sample can be further obtained from the retrieval phase shift. This method is experimentally validated based on non-absorbtion grating imaging system and the result verified its effectiveness.

Understanding the phase contrast optics to restore artifact-free microscopy images for segmentation

Phase contrast, a noninvasive microscopy imaging technique, is widely used to capture time-lapse images to monitor the behavior of transparent cells without staining or altering them. Due to the optical principle, phase contrast microscopy images contain artifacts such as the halo and shade-off that hinder image segmentation, a critical step in automated microscopy image analysis. Rather than treating phase contrast microscopy images as general natural images and applying generic image processing techniques on them, we propose to study the optical properties of the phase contrast microscope to model its image formation process. The phase contrast imaging system can be approximated by a linear imaging model. Based on this model and input image properties, we formulate a regularized quadratic cost function to restore artifact-free phase contrast images that directly correspond to the specimen's optical path length. With artifacts removed, high quality segmentation can be achieved by simply thresholding the restored images. The imaging model and restoration method are quantitatively evaluated on microscopy image sequences with thousands of cells captured over several days. We also demonstrate that accurate restoration lays the foundation for high performance in cell detection and tracking.

In vivophysiological saline-infused hepatic vessel imaging using a two-crystal-interferometer-based phase-contrast X-ray technique

Using a two-crystal-interferometer-based phase-contrast X-ray imaging system, the portal vein, capillary vessel area and hepatic vein of live rats were revealed sequentially by injecting physiological saline via the portal vein. Vessels greater than 0.06 mm in diameter were clearly shown with low levels of X-rays (552 µGy). This suggests that in vivo vessel imaging of small animals can be performed as conventional angiography without the side effects of the presently used iodine contrast agents.

Experimental study of X-ray phase contrast imaging without absorbing grating

According to the theoretical analysis of X-ray differential phase-contrast imaging system based on one-dimensional spatial-coherence X-ray source with multi-line structured anode, a scintillator functioning as an absorption grating, and a phase grating fabricated by photo-assisted electrochemical etching technique developed by us, we construct a non-absorption grating X-ray differential phase-contrast imaging system, conduct the experiments on some biological samples prepared with the above system, and finally obtain some phase-contrast images with more structural information than the ones obtained by conventional X-ray absorption method. Consequently, out system can be considered as a feasible imaging system and can have potential applications in hospitals and laboratories.