Transforming the use of x-rays in science and society

改变 X 射线在科学和社会中的使用

• 批准号: EP/I021884/1
• 负责人: Alessandro Olivo
• 金额: $ 133.78万
• 依托单位: University College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2011 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FI021884%2F1
• 关键词: Transforming; use; rays; science; society

This project aims to build a research group to drive a transformation in the use of x-rays in science and society by replacing the mechanism upon which this has been based for over a century, x-ray absorption. X-rays are electromagnetic waves, and are therefore characterized not only by their amplitude, which is changed by absorption, but also by their phase. Pioneering experiments carried out in the nineties at large and expensive facilities called synchrotrons showed that phase effects can solve the main problem of x-ray imaging, low image contrast due to small absorption differences. This both enhances the visibility of all details in an image, and allows the detection of features invisible to conventional x-ray methods. The benefits this could bring to fields as diverse as medicine, biology, material science, etc were immediately understood, but an effective translation into real-world applications failed because it looked like using a synchrotron was necessary to obtain significant image enhancements.Recently, the PI developed a technique (coded-aperture phase contrast imaging) which showed that this is not true. This technique allows achieving advantages comparable to those obtained at synchrotrons with conventional x-ray sources. This makes the above transformation a concrete possibility for the first time.Although a complete transformation will take longer than the five years of the project, we will seed it by running a series of pilot experiments which will:1) explore the potential of the proposed approach and adapt it to applications in a variety of important fields;2) develop new scientific instruments allowing studies which until now were only possible at synchrotrons to be carried out in conventional labs;3) develop new x-ray methods which will allow the investigation of new scientific fields currently inaccessible.The technique invented by the PI will be applied in new areas of medicine, security, material science, and others. In medicine, we will tackle problems such as imaging blood vessels without contrast agents, enabling earlier detection of breast and other cancers and of osteoporosis, and developing new contrast agents to allow physiological studies with x-rays. We will develop strategies to substantially reduce x-ray dose, which would make radiology safer and allow the expansion of screening campaigns. In security, we will improve threat detection and material recognition. In material science, we will develop tools to detect defects in new materials (e.g. composites, the basis of future aerospace and transport industry, currently posing a challenge to existing test tools) and to allow earlier detection of cracks and corrosion in metals and defects in plastics.Phase-based x-ray scanners will be developed to enable microscopic studies of cells and detection of plaques and metal concentration in tissues in a conventional laboratory setting. X-ray phase methods will be combined with other, functional imaging modalities to develop a new generation of small-animal scanners which will be used in biology and drug development.At synchrotrons, we will combine the increased phase sensitivity of the method developed by the PI with other, cutting-edge methods to push the sensitivity of phase techniques further. These methods will be used to study important scientific areas currently inaccessible, e.g. the mechanisms of tumour invasion.The group will disseminate the obtained results both to specialized audiences (through scientific publications and conference presentations) and to the general public (through public engagement activities). We will collaborate with industry to ensure that the outcome of the applied elements of the research programme are taken to the exploitation stage, and therefore that its full impact is realized. The group will become a world-leading team and produce a step change in x-ray science and its application, to the benefit of society as a whole and UK plc in particular.

该项目旨在建立一个研究小组，通过取代一个多世纪以来一直基于的X射线吸收机制，推动科学和社会中X射线使用的变革。X射线是电磁波，因此它的特征不仅在于其幅度，而在于其吸收的变化，还在于其相位。90年代在大型昂贵的同步加速器上进行的开创性实验表明，相位效应可以解决X射线成像的主要问题，由于吸收差异小，图像对比度低。这既增强了图像中所有细节的可见性，又允许检测常规X射线方法看不到的特征。这可能给医学、生物、材料科学等领域带来的好处很快就被理解了，但有效地转化为现实应用程序失败了，因为看起来使用同步加速器是获得显著图像增强的必要手段。最近，PI开发了一种技术(编码孔径相位对比成像)，证明这不是真的。这种技术可以实现与使用传统X射线源的同步加速器获得的优点相媲美的优点。这使得上述转变首次成为一种具体的可能性。尽管完成转变需要的时间比该项目的五年时间要长，但我们将通过进行一系列试点实验来播种它：1)探索拟议方法的潜力，并使其适用于各种重要领域；2)开发新的科学仪器，使目前只能在同步加速器上进行的研究能够在常规实验室进行；3)开发新的X射线方法，使目前无法进行的新科学领域的研究成为可能。PI发明的技术将应用于医学、安全、材料科学等新领域。在医学方面，我们将解决一些问题，如在没有造影剂的情况下对血管进行成像，使乳腺癌和其他癌症以及骨质疏松症能够更早地被检测出来，以及开发新的造影剂以便用X光进行生理学研究。我们将制定战略，大幅减少X射线剂量，这将使放射学更安全，并允许扩大筛查活动。在安全方面，我们将提高威胁检测和材料识别能力。在材料科学方面，我们将开发工具来检测新材料(例如，复合材料，未来航空航天和运输工业的基础，目前对现有测试工具构成挑战)中的缺陷，并允许更早地检测金属中的裂缝和腐蚀以及塑料中的缺陷。将开发基于相的X射线扫描仪，使之能够在传统实验室环境中对细胞进行显微镜研究，并检测组织中的斑块和金属浓度。X射线相位法将与其他功能成像方法相结合，开发新一代小动物扫描仪，用于生物学和药物开发。在同步加速器上，我们将把PI开发的方法提高的相位灵敏度与其他尖端方法相结合，进一步推动相位技术的灵敏度。这些方法将被用来研究目前无法进入的重要科学领域，例如肿瘤侵袭机制。该小组将向专业受众(通过科学出版物和会议报告)和普通公众(通过公众参与活动)传播所取得的成果。我们将与工业界合作，确保研究方案应用要素的成果进入开发阶段，从而实现其全面影响。该小组将成为世界领先的团队，并在x射线科学及其应用方面产生重大变化，造福整个社会，特别是英国plc。

项目成果

Compact and cost effective lab-based edge-illumination x-ray phase contrast imaging with a structured focal spot

紧凑且经济高效的实验室边缘照明 X 射线相衬成像，具有结构化焦点

• DOI: 10.1063/1.4953459
• 发表时间: 2016
• 期刊: Applied Physics Letters
• 影响因子: 4
• 作者: Basta D

Single-shot edge illumination x-ray phase-contrast tomography enabled by joint image reconstruction.

• DOI: 10.1364/ol.42.000619
• 发表时间: 2017-02-01
• 期刊: Optics letters
• 影响因子: 3.6
• 作者: Chen Y;Guan H;Hagen CK;Olivo A;Anastasio MA
• 通讯作者: Anastasio MA

A partial-dithering strategy for edge-illumination x-ray phase-contrast tomography enabled by a joint reconstruction method.

通过联合重建方法实现边缘照明 X 射线相衬断层扫描的部分抖动策略。

• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ab66e2
• 发表时间: 2020
• 期刊: Physics in medicine and biology
• 影响因子: 3.5
• 作者: Chen Y

Laser-wakefield accelerators for medical phase contrast imaging: Monte Carlo simulations and experimental studies

用于医学相衬成像的激光尾场加速器：蒙特卡罗模拟和实验研究

• 发表时间: 2015
• 作者: Cipiccia S

Note: Design and realization of a portable edge illumination X-ray phase contrast imaging system.

注：便携式边缘照明X射线相衬成像系统的设计与实现。

• DOI: 10.1063/1.4930238
• 发表时间: 2015
• 期刊: The Review of scientific instruments
• 作者: Basta D