In sparse-view Computed Tomography (CT), only a small number of projection images are taken around the object, and sinogram interpolation method has a significant impact on final image quality. When the amount of sparsity - the amount of missing views in sinogram data – is not high, conventional interpolation methods have yielded good results. When the amount of sparsity is high, more advanced sinogram interpolation methods are needed. Recently, several deep learning (DL) based sinogram interpolation methods have been proposed. However, those DL-based methods have mostly tested so far on computer simulated sinogram data rather experimentally acquired sinogram data. In this study, we developed a sinogram interpolation method for sparse-view micro-CT based on the combination of U-Net and residual learning. We applied the method to sinogram data obtained from sparse-view micro-CT experiments, where the sparsity reached 90%. The interpolated sinogram by the DL neural network was fed to FBP algorithm for reconstruction. The result shows that both RMSE and SSIM of CT image are greatly improved. The experimental results demonstrate that this sinogram interpolation method produce significantly better results over standard linear interpolation methods when the sinogram data are extremely sparse.
Photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) with energy discrimination capabilities hold great potentials to improve the limitations of the conventional CT, including better signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), improved contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), lower radiation dose, and most importantly, simultaneous multiple material identification. One potential way of material identification is via calculation of effective atomic number (Zeff) and effective electron density (peeff) from PCCT image data. However, the current methods for calculating effective atomic number and effective electron density from PCCT image data are mostly based on semi-empirical models and accordingly are not sufficiently accurate. Here, we present a physics-based model to calculate the effective atomic number and effective electron density of various matters, including single element substances, molecular compounds, and multi-material mixtures as well. The model was validated over several materials under various combinations of energy bins. A PCCT system was simulated to generate the PCCT image data, and the proposed model was applied to the PCCT image data. Our model yielded a relative standard deviations for effective atomic numbers and effective electron densities at less than 1%. Our results further showed that five different materials can be simultaneously identified and well separated in a Zeff − peeff map. The model could serve as a basis for simultaneous material identification from PCCT.
Micro-CT is a high-resolution volumetric imaging tool that provides imaging evaluations for many preclinical applications. However, the relatively high cumulative radiation dose from micro-CT scans could lead to detrimental influence on the experimental outcomes or even the damages of specimens. Interior micro-computed tomography (micro- CT) produces exact tomographic images of an interior region-of-interest (ROI) embedded within an object from truncated projection data. It holds promises for many biomedical applications with significantly reduced radiation doses. Here, we present our first implementation of an interior micro-CT system using a carbon nanotube (CNT) field-emission microfocus x-ray source. The system has two modes – interior micro-CT mode and global micro-CT mode, which is realized with a detachable x-ray beam collimator at the source side. The interior mode has an effective field-of-view (FOV) of about 10mm in diameter, while for the global mode the FOV is about 40mm in diameter. We acquired CT data in these two modes from a mouse-sized phantom, and compared the reconstructed image qualities and the associated radiation exposures. Interior ROI reconstruction was achieved by using our in-house developed reconstruction algorithm. Overall, interior micro-CT demonstrated comparable image quality to the conventional global micro-CT. Radiation doses measured by an ion chamber show that interior micro-CT yielded significant dose reduction (up to 83%).
Current cardiac computed tomography (CT) is not fast enough for high or irregular heart rates, and the high radiation
dose from cardiac CT scans remains a public concern. The primary cause of those unsatisfactory performances is the
current CT architecture, in which one or two x-ray tubes need to be mechanically spun around an object to collect
projection images, and x-ray beams need to be wide enough to cover the entire transaxial extent of an object without
truncation. Here we present a new cardiac CT architecture. The new architecture features three distributed x-ray sources
and three x-ray detectors. The three sources are stationary, with each containing an array of about 100 x-ray beams. The
three detectors are rotating, and simultaneously acquire truncated projection data for the same interior region-of-interest.
In synchrony with the rotating detectors, the three source arrays are electronically activated to simulate the spinning of
three traditional single-beam x-ray sources. By estimate, the new architecture is expected to provide ≤50ms temporal
resolution and ≤1mSv radiation dose.
X-ray fluorescence molecular imaging (XFMI) can be a potential alternative to existing molecular imaging modalities
providing high sensitivity and good spatial resolution. However, high sensitivity at a few tens of μg/mL can be reached
only with monochromatic synchrotron x-rays; in typical laboratory setting using conventional x-ray sources XFMI has
been reported to reach only about 10 mg/mL sensitivity. In this paper, we demonstrated the feasibility of simultaneously
detecting x-ray fluorescence signals from a mouse-sized object containing iodine and indium solutions at 50 μg/mL
concentration using a carbon nanotube (CNT) x-ray source. XFMI has the high potential to provide molecular imaging
capability in small-animal models with high sensitivity, high spatial and temporal resolution, high multiplexing capacity,
and at low radiation dose.
We report the progress in development of carbon nanotube (CNT) field emission micro-focus x-ray tubes for dynamic
small animal imaging with high spatial and temporal resolution. Extensive electron optics simulations were performed to
study the focusing structure and optimize the tube design. 3D finite element analysis was used for modeling and
simulating electron beam optics. A simple and intuitive model is developed to model the field emission properties of
CNT cathodes. The dependence of focus spot size and the anode current on the gate extracting voltage, the focusing
voltages, the gate mesh geometry, and other geometric parameters were studied. Several tubes were built according to
the optimal design. The experimentally measured focus spot size and its dependence on the focus voltages were found to
be in quantitative agreement with simulations.
We have previously reported the development of a dynamic micro-CT scanner with a stationary mouse bed using a
compact carbon nanotube (CNT) field emission x-ray tube and preliminary results on its utility for prospectively gated
cardiac imaging. In this paper we report the recent progress in improving the performance characteristics of this scanner.
Through optimization of the CNT cathode, the stable emission current has been increased. The output power of the CNT
x-ray source has reached ~100W peak power at 100μm focal spot size. The higher flux enables improvement of the xray
energy spectrum to minimize the beam hardening effect and increasing the system temporal resolution by using
shorter x-ray exposure time. The scanner's temporal resolution has been increased to ~10 msec, which is sufficient for
high-resolution micro-CT imaging of mouse heart and lung under
free-breathing setting. The spatial resolution is
maintained at 6.2 lp per mm at 10% system MTF. The nanotube micro-CT scanner's application in mouse cardiac
imaging has been demonstrated with high-resolution (80 μm and 15 msec) micro-CT of the mouse heart under freebreathing
setting.
In this paper we report the development of a high resolution dynamic micro-computed tomography (CT) scanner
with a stationary mouse bed using a compact carbon nanotube (CNT)
x-ray tube. The scanner comprises a
rotating x-ray tube and detector pair and a stationary and a horizontally positioned small animal bed. The system
is optimized for in vivo mouse cardiac imaging. Its performance is evaluated with CT scans of phantoms and
free-breathing mice. The modulation transfer function (MTF) at 10% is 5 lp/mm. At single frame acquisition,
mouse cardiac micro-CT at 20msec temporal resolution has been demonstrated by prospectively gating the
imaging acquisitions to both respiration and cardiac signals.
A prototype physiologically gated micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) system based on a field emission
micro-focus x-ray source has been developed for in vivo imaging of small animal models. The novel x-ray
source can generate radiation with a programmable waveform that can be readily synchronized and gated with
non-periodic physiological signals. The system performance is evaluated using phantoms and sacrificed and
anesthetized mouse models. Prospective respiratory-gated CT images of anesthetized free-breathing mice are
collected using this scanner at 100msec temporal resolution and 10 lp/mm of 10% system MTF.
A stationary digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) system using a carbon nanotube based multi-beam field emission x-ray
(MBFEX) source has been designed. The purpose is to investigate the feasibility of reducing the total imaging time,
simplifying the system design, and potentially improving the image quality comparing to the conventional DBT
scanners. The MBFEX source consists of 25 individually programmable x-ray pixels which are evenly angular spaced
covering a 48° field of view. The device acquires the projection images by electronically switching on and off the
individual x-ray pixels without mechanical motion of either the x-ray source or the detector. The designs of the x-ray
source and the imaging system are presented. Some preliminary results are discussed.
The in-line x-ray phase-contrast imaging method relies on changes in index of refraction within a body to
produce image contrast. In soft tissue, index of refraction variations arise from density changes so that phase
contrast imaging provides a map of density gradients within a body. An intense, short pulse laser beam that is
differentially absorbed by an object within a body will produce a thermal wave with an associated density change
that propagates outwardly from the interface between the object and the body. Experiments are described where
a pulsed Nd:YLF laser is synchronized to an image intensifier to record the effects of the energy deposited by a
pulsed laser.
We show that the radiation pressure exerted by a beam of ultrasound can be used for contrast enhancement in high resolution x-ray imaging of tissue. Interfacial features of objects are highlighted as a result of both the displacement introduced by the ultrasound and the inherent sensitivity of x-ray phase contrast imaging to density variations. The potential of the method is demonstrated by imaging various tumor phantoms and tumors from mice. The directionality of the acoustic radiation force and its localization in space permits the imaging of ultrasound-selected tissue volumes. In a related effort we report progress on development of an imaging technique using and electrokinetic effect known as the ultrasonic vibration potential. The ultrasonic vibration potential refers to the voltage generated when ultrasound traverses a colloidal or ionic fluid. The theory of imaging based on the vibration potential is reviewed, and an expression given that describes the signal from an arbitrary object. The experimental apparatus consists of a pair of parallel plates connected to the irradiated body, a low noise preamplifier, a radio frequency lock-in amplifier, translation stages for the ultrasonic transducer that generates the ultrasound, and a computer for data storage and image formation. Experiments are reported where bursts of ultrasound are directed onto colloidal silica objects placed within inert bodies.
Ultrafast high-intensity laser pulses incident upon condensed matter targets can generate solid-density plasmas that emit x-ray pulses with sub-picosecond temporal structure and significant spatial coherence. Such ultrafast laser-driven plasma x-ray sources based on solid and liquid targets are currently under construction in our laboratory. Performance details at several kilohertz laser pulse repetition rates are discussed. As an application of the temporal structure of laser-generated x-ray pulses, ultrafast x-ray absorption fine structure (UXAFS), currently under development, is discussed. It allows, in principle, to measure the structural dynamics of atoms during a chemical process in solution. An overview over UXAFS is presented and properties of our ultrafast x-ray absorption spectrometer are discussed. First calculations of time dependent UXAFS-spectra for ironpentacarbonyl are presented. Ultrafast molecular dynamics depend on the structure of the solvated molecule at the moment of photo-excitation. This structure depends on the solute's interaction with the solvent. Furthermore, the solute's vibrational modes and structure are correlated, solvent dependent, and can be measured by mid-infrared and x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Such measured spectra are presented and correlated with semi-empirical quantum calculations in order to elucidate the solvation environment of transition metal coordination complexes in various solvents.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.