Low Level Traces Mapping using Monochromatic X-Rays

描述(由申请人提供)：有重要的医学应用 这将受益于桌面成像工具，该工具可以检测和映射每个部件 在体外和体内组织中的十亿级金属和其他重元素。 将提出一种用于干燥组织的元素成像的紧凑型仪器 以及基于单色显微x射线荧光(MMXRF)的活组织。 这款工具基于创新的大口径双曲面晶体光学， 能够检测过渡金属和重金属元素的ppb水平 几微米的空间分辨率。这将有助于研究 阿尔茨海默病？S和帕金森？S病、前列腺癌等医学问题。 这也可以是用于筛查和监测的相对便宜的工具 有毒元素在环境和职业中的暴露。第一阶段 研究已经非常成功地完成，MMXRF的可行性 已经被清楚地证明了。在这个第二阶段的项目中，一个原型桌面 将开发包含可互换模块的MMXRF系统 用于探测具有不同X射线能量的样品的X射线束单元。空间 将绘制锰、铁、硒和镉在相关组织中的分布图 使用了阿尔茨海默病、S病和前列腺癌的原型系统。 建议的商业应用： 在研究有毒金属和其他微量元素对生物功能的影响方面，分析实验室和医学研究中心将看到商业应用。简化和廉价的系统可以应用于有毒元素暴露的临床筛查和环境监测。其他非医疗应用包括材料科学、法医学、半导体工业和其他需要亚ppm元素成像的行业。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There are important medical applications that will benefit from a desktop imaging tool which detects and maps parts per billion level metals and other heavy elements in tissues in vitro and in vivo. A compact instrument will be proposed for elemental imaging of dry tissues as well as living tissues based on monochromatic micro x-ray fluorescence (MMXRF). This tool, based on innovative, large-aperture, doubly-curved crystal optics, is capable of detecting ppb levels of transition metal and heavy elements with a spatial resolution of a few micrometers. This would assist in the research of Alzheimer?s and Parkinson?s diseases, prostate cancer and other medical issues. This can also be a relatively inexpensive tool for the screening and monitoring of environmental and occupational exposure of toxic elements. The Phase I research has been very successfully completed and the feasibility of the MMXRF has been clearly demonstrated. In this Phase II project, a prototype desktop MMXRF system will be developed that incorporates an interchangeable modular x-ray beam unit to probe samples with different x-ray energies. Spatial distribution of Mn, Fe, Se, and Cd will be mapped in tissues related to Alzheimer?s disease and prostate cancer using the prototype system. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: Commercial applications will be seen in analytical labs and medical research centers in their investigation of the effects of toxic metals and other trace elements on biological functions. Simplified and inexpensive systems could have have applications for clinical screening of toxic element exposures and environmental monitoring. Other non-medical applications include materials science, forensics, the semiconductor industry and other industries where the sub ppm elemental imaging is desired.