A high brightness microstructured anode X-ray source for clinical phase contrast imaging

X射线相衬成像（XPCI）被广泛认为是最令人兴奋的技术之一，已经出现 在X射线物理学中，有可能显著改变生物医学成像的面貌。XPCI，基于 利用X射线的折射而不是吸收，可以提供高达1000倍的对比度 在软组织中比吸收对比度更好，吸收对比度是X射线设备目前使用的方法。的 这项技术为疾病的早期诊断和目前还没有的特征的可视化提供了巨大的潜力。 通过常规技术可见，以及剂量的大幅减少，以实现更安全的筛选 治疗癌症在XPCI的几种方法中，塔尔博特干涉测量法被认为是最有潜力的 因为它不需要同步辐射源。然而，目前的做法，塔尔博特阶段 对比度需要放置在常规实验室X射线源附近的光栅（源的添加 光栅称为Talbot-Lau技术）。这就限制了Talbot-Lau实验中使用的X射线能量 小于20 keV的干涉仪，这限制了其使用（35-80 keV对于临床应用更理想 应用），除了降低源效率之外。 我们建议开发一种经过优化的高亮度X射线源，以使临床塔尔博特 在与临床应用相关的更高能量下的干涉仪。消息来源引用了一本小说 微结构阳极，其由嵌入在微结构阳极中的钨微米尺寸的X射线发射器阵列组成。 导热性好、密度低的材料（金刚石）。这些微发射器作为一个阵列， 小的源，这将消除对源光栅的需要，并且包含金刚石提供了 具有上级热性能，亮度高。 拟议的第一阶段9个月的项目是一个证明的原则演示，新的微结构 阳极可以被制造并且将提供期望的热益处和X射线输出， 拟议的第二阶段24个月的项目将产生两个工作原型的来源。

X-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) is widely regarded as one of the most exciting techniques to have emerged in x-ray physics, and has potential to significantly change the face of biomedical imaging. XPCI, which is based on the refraction of X-rays rather than their absorption, can provide up to 1000 times greater contrast in soft tissues than absorption contrast, which is the current method employed by x-ray equipment. The technique offers enormous potential for earlier diagnosis of diseases and visualization of features currently not visible through conventional techniques, as well as dramatic reduction in dosage to enable safer screening for cancer. Of the several approaches to XPCI, Talbot interferometry is considered to have the most potential for clinical use, as it does not require a synchrotron source. However, the current approach to Talbot phase contrast requires a grating placed near a conventional laboratory X-ray source (the addition of the source grating is called the Talbot-Lau technique). This has led to limits on the X-ray energies used in Talbot-Lau interferometers of less than <20 keV, which has restricted its use (35-80 keV being more optimal for clinical applications), in addition to reduced source efficiency. We propose to develop a high brightness X-ray source that is optimized to enable clinical Talbot interferometers at the higher energies that are relevant to clinical applications. The source employs a novel microstructured anode, which is comprised of an array of tungsten micron-sized X-ray emitters embedded in a material of excellent thermal conductivity and low density (diamond). These micro-emitters act as an array of small sources, which would remove the need for the source grating, and the inclusion of diamond provides superior thermal properties for high brightness. The proposed Phase I 9-month project is a proof-of-principle demonstration that the novel microstructured anode can be manufactured and would provide the desired thermal benefits and x-ray output, and the proposed Phase II 24-month project would produce two working prototypes of the source.