Study of fine and low-dose medical imaging using quasi-monochromatic X-rays generated through the laser-Compton scattering process

通过激光康普顿散射过程产生的X射线（LCS X射线）由于其部分空间相干性和准单色性，有望成为医学中精细和低剂量成像的合适工具。在这里，我们研究了一种方法，我们称之为“多脉冲LCS”，以提高LCS X射线的光子产额，在这样的X射线成像足够的水平。作为医学应用的初步实验，使用LCS-X射线拍摄了包含填充有硫酸钡的模拟血管的人头部体模的图像。因此，通过将X射线能量调整到钡的K边缘，血管的对比度明显增强。塔尔博特干涉术是一种相位衬度X射线成像方法。在该方案中，微小的X射线相位差引起莫尔条纹的明显变化，甚至可以显示由轻元素组成的物体的结构。我们将我们的LCS-X射线系统应用于塔尔博特干涉测量，发现它是有用的。

X-rays generated through the laser-Compton scattering process (LCS X-rays) are expected as suitable tools for fine and low-dose imaging in medicine due to their partial spatial-coherence and quasi-monochromaticity. Here we studied a method, which we call "multi-pulse LCS", to enhance the photon yield of LCS X-rays to a level sufficient in such an X-ray imaging. As a preliminary experiment for the medical application, the image of a human-head phantom including simulated blood vessels filled by Barium sulfate was taken with the LCS-X rays. As a result, the contrast of the blood vessels was clearly enhanced by tuning the X-ray energy to the K-edge of Barium. The Talbot interferometry is a kind of phase-contrast X-ray imaging scheme. In this scheme, small difference of X-ray phase brings a clear change of the moire fringe, which can visualize even the structure of objects composed of light elements. We applied our LCS-X ray system to the Talbot interferometry and found it useful.