a novel phase contrast technique with the potential of revolutionizing x-ray imaging applications in medicine, biology, industry and security

一种新颖的相衬技术，具有彻底改变医学、生物学、工业和安全领域 X 射线成像应用的潜力

• 批准号: EP/G004250/1
• 负责人: Alessandro Olivo
• 金额: $ 107.02万
• 依托单位: University College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2009 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FG004250%2F1
• 关键词: novel; phase; contrast; technique; potential

This project aims at transferring an established synchrotron radiation (SR) technique with extremely high potential, X-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI), into its practical application through the full development of a novel method devised by the fellow.Over the recent years, SR studies have demonstrated that XPCI could substantially change the face of X-ray imaging, as it would provide dramatic image improvements in fields as diverse as medicine, industry, security, scientific research and others.Early diagnosis of breast tumours, detection of faint lung lesions in planar images instead of CT scans, imaging of blood vessels without contrast agents, detection of microfractures and dilamination in composite materials are just a few examples of results obtained through SR XPCI which are currently not accessible by means of conventional x-ray imaging techniques.The problem so far is that XPCI was considered to be restricted to SR environments, which prevented its diffusion despite the impressive potentials. All XPCI techniques devised so far suffer when implemented with conventional sources, making its practical use substantially impossible.The applicant has recently devised a novel XPCI technique, based on the use of coded apertures, which solves most limitations of previous approaches. Proof-of-concept experiments have demonstrated beyond doubt that this new technique can provide results comparable to those obtained with SR while making use of diverging, polychromatic beams generated by conventional sources currently available off the shelf. As a consequence, this approach has the concrete potential to take XPCI out of SR environments and into its practical application for the first time. This would have an enormous impact both from the economic (the x-ray imaging market was estimated to be over 10B Euros already in 2005 - S. Rusckowski, CEO imaging systems, Philips) and the social point of view, as the general public would benefit from improved healthcare and security.The present project aims at achieving this important result through the development of the new XPCI technique. At the same time, it would target relevant application fields (breast imaging, plus others to be agreed with the end-users), and quantitatively assess the advantages that the new technique would bring in each of them.To achieve these objectives, the new method would be fully modelled by expanding simulation tools developed by the fellow during the proof-of-concept work. These models would be experimentally validated to guarantee reliability, and the output used to design an imaging prototype. On the basis of the resources available at the proposed host institution (two extra long optical tables plus two high-powered x-ray sources with different targets, and some detector prototypes), it would actually be possible to realize two separate prototypes, to target a wider range of applications. This imaging prototype(s) would then be thoroughly evaluated, and eventually used to image typical samples from the targeted applications. The analysis of these images, alongside the comparison with images of the same samples obtained with conventional systems, would allow the quantitative assessment of the advantages of the new technique on the targeted applications. In order to perform all tasks required by the above plan, the collaboration of ten partners from relevant fields have been sought. The appropriate input from physicians (two radiologists and a pathologist), detector developers (RAL, MI3), scientists with unique expertise in the field (ELETTRA, where the only in vivo station for mammography with SR XPCI has been built), and industrial companies active in related fields (Canon, e2v, X-Tek, 3DX-ray) has been secured and is documented through letters of support. To provide training to young scientist on the new topic and help the fellow on the everyday running of the project, the team would be completed by a PDRA and a PhD student.

该项目旨在通过全面发展研究员设计的新方法，将一种具有极高潜力的成熟同步辐射技术--X射线相衬成像（XPCI）转化为实际应用。近年来，同步辐射研究表明，XPCI可以大大改变X射线成像的面貌，因为它将在医学、工业、安全、科学研究等领域提供显著的图像改进。乳腺肿瘤的早期诊断，在平面图像中检测微弱的肺部病变而不是CT扫描，在没有造影剂的情况下血管成像，复合材料中微裂缝和分层的检测只是通过SR XPCI获得的结果的几个例子，这些结果目前还不能通过常规的X射线成像技术获得。到目前为止，问题是XPCI被认为仅限于SR环境，这阻止了其扩散，尽管其潜力令人印象深刻。申请人最近设计了一种基于使用编码孔径的新颖的XPCI技术，其解决了先前方法的大多数限制。概念验证实验已经毫无疑问地证明，这种新技术可以提供与SR获得的结果相当的结果，同时利用目前可用的常规源产生的发散多色光束。因此，这种方法具有将XPCI从SR环境中取出并首次投入实际应用的具体潜力。这将产生巨大的影响，无论是从经济（x射线成像市场估计已超过100亿欧元，在2005年- S。Rusckowski，飞利浦成像系统公司首席执行官）和社会的观点，因为公众将受益于改善的医疗保健和安全。本项目旨在通过开发新的XPCI技术来实现这一重要成果。与此同时，它将针对相关的应用领域（乳房成像，以及与最终用户商定的其他领域），并定量评估新技术将为每个领域带来的优势，为实现这些目标，将通过扩展该研究员在概念验证工作期间开发的模拟工具，对新方法进行全面建模。这些模型将通过实验验证以保证可靠性，并将输出用于设计成像原型。根据拟议东道机构的现有资源（两个超长光学台加上两个具有不同目标的高功率X射线源，以及一些探测器原型），实际上有可能实现两个单独的原型，以针对更广泛的应用。然后将对该成像原型进行彻底评估，并最终用于对来自目标应用的典型样本进行成像。对这些图像的分析，以及与用传统系统获得的相同样品的图像的比较，将允许定量评估新技术在目标应用上的优势。为了执行上述计划所要求的所有任务，已寻求来自相关领域的10个合作伙伴的合作。来自医生（两名放射科医生和一名病理科医生）、探测器开发人员（RAL、MI 3）、在该领域具有独特专业知识的科学家（ELETTRA，已建成唯一一个使用SR XPCI进行乳腺X射线摄影的体内工作站）以及活跃在相关领域的工业公司（Canon、e2 v、X-Tek、3DX-ray）的适当输入已得到保护，并通过支持函记录。为了向年轻科学家提供关于新课题的培训，并帮助研究员进行项目的日常运行，该团队将由一名PDRA和一名博士生组成。

项目成果

Edge illumination and coded-aperture X-ray phase-contrast imaging: increased sensitivity at synchrotrons and lab-based translations into medicine, biology and materials science

边缘照明和编码孔径 X 射线相衬成像：提高同步加速器的灵敏度以及基于实验室的医学、生物学和材料科学转化

• DOI: 10.1117/12.2007893
• 发表时间: 2013
• 作者: Endrizzi M

Edge-illumination X-ray phase contrast imaging: matching the imaging method to the detector technology

• DOI: 10.1088/1748-0221/9/11/c11004
• 发表时间: 2014-11
• 期刊: Journal of Instrumentation
• 影响因子: 1.3
• 作者: M. Endrizzi;P. Diemoz;C. Hagen;F. Vittoria;P. Munro;L. Rigon;D. Dreossi;F. Arfelli;F. Lopez;R. Longo;M. Marenzana;P. Delogu;A. Vincenzi;L. D. Ruvo;G. Spandre;A. Brez;R. Bellazzini;A. Olivo

Coded-apertures take x-ray phase contrast imaging out of the synchrotrons and into real world applications

编码孔径将 X 射线相衬成像从同步加速器中带入现实世界的应用

• 发表时间: 2010
• 期刊: Notiziario Neutroni e Luce di Sincrotrone
• 作者: Alessandro Olivo