Hard X-ray index of refraction tomography of a whole rabbit knee joint: A feasibility study. Issue 12 (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gasilov, S.; Mittone, A.; Horng, A.; Geith, T.; Bravin, A.; Baumbach, T.; Coan, P.
• Is Part Of: Physica medica. Volume 32:Issue 12(2016)
• Page Start: 1785
• Page End: 1789
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Computed tomography (CT) -- X-rays' index of refraction -- Differential phase-contrast imaging -- Low contrast detectability; Medical physics -- Periodicals; Biophysics -- Periodicals; Biophysics -- Periodicals; Imagerie médicale -- Périodiques; Radiothérapie -- Périodiques; Rayons X -- Sécurité -- Mesures -- Périodiques; Physique -- Périodiques; Médecine -- Périodiques; 610.153
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2016.10.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1120-1797

Abstract

Highlights: Quantitative phase contrast CT imaging of intact animal limb is performed. Regularized phase retrieval method was used for CT data processing. Improved visibility of low contrast tissues in refraction based images is observed. Peculiarities of refraction based contrast are discussed. Abstract: We report results of the computed tomography reconstruction of the index of refraction in a whole rabbit knee joint examined at the photon energy of 51 keV. Refraction based images make it possible to delineate the bone, cartilage, and soft tissues without adjusting the contrast window width and level. Density variations, which are related to tissue composition and are not visible in absorption X-ray images, are detected in the obtained refraction based images. We discuss why refraction-based images provide better detectability of low contrast features than absorption images.