A preclinical Talbot-Lau prototype for x-ray dark-field imaging of human-sized objects
| Autor: | Sven-Martin Sutter, Josef Zeidler, Andrea Baehr, M. F. Reiser, Martino Leghissa, Tom Weber, Peter Bartl, David Bondesson, Gisela Anton, Felix G. Meinel, Jörg Freudenberger, Thilo Michel, Sigrid Auweter, Thomas Mertelmeier, Christian Hauke, Marcus Radicke, Thomas Gaass, Katharina Hellbach, Ludwig Ritschl, Julien Dinkel |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: |
Models
Anatomic Computer science Image quality Swine Radiography Radiation Dosage Imaging phantom 030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging 03 medical and health sciences Kerma 0302 clinical medicine Astronomical interferometer Medical imaging Animals Humans Whole Body Imaging Lung Skin business.industry Scattering Phantoms Imaging Attenuation X-Rays X-ray Pneumothorax General Medicine Equipment Design Thorax Refraction Dark field microscopy Interferometry 030220 oncology & carcinogenesis business Biomedical engineering |
| Zdroj: | Medical physics. 45(6) |
| ISSN: | 2473-4209 |
| Popis: | Purpose: Talbot-Lau x-ray interferometry provides information about the scattering and refractive properties of an object - in addition to the object's attenuation features. Until recently, this method was ineligible for imaging human-sized objects as it is challenging to adapt Talbot-Lau interferometers (TLIs) to the relevant x-ray energy ranges. In this work, we present a preclinical Talbot-Lau prototype capable of imaging human-sized objects with proper image quality at clinically acceptable dose levels. Methods: The TLI is designed to match a setup of clinical relevance as closely as possible. The system provides a scan range of 120 x 30 cm(2) by using a scanning beam geometry. Its ultimate load is 100 kg. High aspect ratios and fine grid periods of the gratings ensure a reasonable setup length and clinically relevant image quality. The system is installed in a university hospital and is, therefore, exposed to the external influences of a clinical environment. To demonstrate the system's capabilities, a full-body scan of a euthanized pig was performed. In addition, freshly excised porcine lungs with an extrinsically provoked pneumothorax were mounted into a human thorax phantom and examined with the prototype. Results: Both examination sequences resulted in clinically relevant image quality - even in the case of a skin entrance air kerma of only 0.3 mGy which is in the range of human thoracic imaging. The presented case of a pneumothorax and a reader study showed that the prototype's dark-field images provide added value for pulmonary diagnosis. Conclusion: We demonstrated that a dedicated design of a Talbot-Lau interferometer can be applied to medical imaging by constructing a preclinical Talbot-Lau prototype. We experienced that the system is feasible for imaging human-sized objects and the phase-stepping approach is suitable for clinical practice. Hence, we conclude that Talbot-Lau x-ray imaging has potential for clinical use and enhances the diagnostic power of medical x-ray imaging. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|
Plný text