X-ray interferometry without analyzer for breast CT application: a simulation study.

Content Provider	Europe PMC
Author	Xu, Jingzhu Ham, Kyungmin Dey, Joyoni
Copyright Year	2020
Abstract	Abstract.Purpose: We investigate an analyzer-less x-ray interferometer with a spatially modulated phase grating (MPG) that can deliver three modalities (attenuation image, phase image, and scatter images) in breast computed tomography (BCT). The system can provide three x-ray modalities while preserving the dose to the object and can achieve attenuation image sensitivity similar to that of a standard absorption-only BCT. The MPG system works with a source, a source-grating, a single phase grating, and a detector. No analyzer is necessary. Thus, there is an approximately 2x improvement in fluence at the detector for our system compared with the same source–detector distance Talbot–Lau x-ray interferometry (TLXI) because the TLXI has an analyzer after the object, which is not required for the MPG.Approach: We investigate the MPG BCT system in simulations and find a clinically feasible system geometry. First, the mechanism of MPG interferometry is conceptually shown via Sommerfeld–Rayleigh diffraction integral simulations. Next, we investigate source coherence requirements, fringe visibility, and phase sensitivity dependence on different system parameters and find clinically feasible system geometry.Results: The phase sensitivity of MPG interferometry is proportional to object–detector distance and inversely proportional to a period of broad fringes at the detector, which is determined by the grating spatial modulation period. In our simulations, the MPG interferometry can achieve about 27% fringe visibility with clinically realistic BCT geometry of a total source–detector distance of 950 mm and source–object distance of 500 mm.Conclusions: We simulated a promising analyzer-less x-ray interferometer, with a spatially sinusoidal MPG. Our system is expected to deliver the attenuation, phase and scatter image in a single acquisition without dose or fluence detriment, compared with conventional BCT.
Related Links	https://europepmc.org/backend/ptpmcrender.fcgi?accid=PMC7096764&blobtype=pdf
Page Count	19
ISSN	23294302
Journal	Journal of Medical Imaging [J Med Imaging (Bellingham)]
Volume Number	7
PubMed Central reference number	PMC7096764
Issue Number	2
PubMed reference number	32258221
e-ISSN	23294310
DOI	10.1117/1.jmi.7.2.023503
Language	English
Publisher	Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers
Publisher Date	2020-03-26
Access Restriction	Open
Rights License	Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI. © 2020 The Authors
Subject Keyword	analyzer-less phase-contrast breast computed tomography modulated phase-grating interferometry no analyzer phase-contrast x-ray phase-contrast breast computed tomography
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging