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

该项目旨在通过充分开发一种新的方法，将已建立的具有极高潜力的同步辐射技术--X射线相衬成像(XPCI)转化为实际应用。近年来，同步辐射成像的研究表明，XPCI可以极大地改变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善。乳腺癌的早期诊断，平面图像中肺部微弱病变的检测，而不是CT扫描，血管成像，复合材料中微断裂和剥离的检测只是目前常规X射线成像技术无法获得的结果的几个例子。到目前为止，XPCI被认为仅限于SR环境，这阻止了它的扩散，尽管它具有令人印象深刻的潜力。本申请人最近设计了一种新的基于编码光圈的XPCI技术，它解决了以前方法的大部分局限性。概念验证实验无疑证明，这项新技术可以提供与SR相当的结果，同时利用目前现成的传统光源产生的发散、多色光束。因此，这种方法具有将XPCI从SR环境中带到其实际应用中的具体潜力。这将从经济(X光成像市场估计在2005年已超过100亿欧元-飞利浦成像系统首席执行官S.Rusck owski)和社会角度都产生巨大影响，因为普通公众将从改善的医疗保健和安全中受益。本项目旨在通过开发新的XPCI技术来实现这一重要成果。同时，它将针对相关的应用领域(乳房成像，以及其他与最终用户达成一致的领域)，并定量评估新技术将在每一个领域带来的优势。为了实现这些目标，新方法将通过扩展研究员在概念验证工作中开发的模拟工具来完全模拟。这些模型将经过实验验证，以确保可靠性，并将输出用于设计成像原型。根据拟议主办机构的现有资源(两张超长光学工作台加上两个具有不同目标的高功率X射线源和一些探测器样机)，实际上有可能实现两个不同的样机，以针对更广泛的应用。这个成像原型(S)随后将被彻底评估，并最终用于对目标应用中的典型样本进行成像。对这些图像的分析，以及与用常规系统获得的相同样品的图像的比较，将使我们能够定量评估新技术在目标应用方面的优势。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十个合作伙伴的合作。来自医生(两名放射科医生和一名病理学家)、探测器开发人员(Ral、军情三处)、在该领域拥有独特专业知识的科学家(Elettra，已经建立了唯一的SR XPCI活体乳房X光摄影站)以及活跃在相关领域(佳能、e2v、X-Tek、3DX光)的工业公司的适当投入已经得到保障，并通过支持函进行了记录。为了向年轻科学家提供关于新主题的培训，并帮助该研究员进行项目的日常运行，该小组将由一名PDRA和一名博士生组成。

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.