A high resolution and high DQE detector optimized for mammography using single-shot bi-directional tri-contrast imaging

 描述（由申请人提供）：X射线三对比成像提供三种不同的对比模式：吸收对比（常规医学X射线成像设备如何成像的机制）、相位对比（其提供比软组织的基于吸收的对比高1000倍的对比）和散射对比（其提供小于吸收和相位对比的分辨率的尺寸的特征的信息）。获得所有三种对比模式被广泛认为是现代X射线物理学中最令人兴奋的发展之一，并且具有改变生物医学成像的面貌以早期检测癌症，骨关节炎和其他软组织疾病的巨大潜力。Talbot-Lau干涉测量法是一种基于光栅的技术，使用三个光栅实现三对比度成像，其最近的发展具有在临床使用中实现三对比度成像的高潜力。然而，由于使用三个光栅中的两个，存在几个主要限制。这两个光栅并不是完全必要的，只要对源和检测器进行实质性的创新，去除光栅仍将允许该技术工作。我们建议开发一种高检测量子效率（DQE）的微结构检测器，具有良好的分辨率，使临床塔尔博特干涉仪，而不需要的两个有问题的光栅之一。另一个光栅可以通过对源的创新来消除，为此我们还设计了一个提案，该提案此前已提交给NIH，正在等待最终的资助决定（它获得了20分的突出影响分数）。拟议的第一阶段6个月的项目是一个原理证明，证明微结构探测器可以制造，并将提供高检测量子效率，拟议的第二阶段24个月的项目将产生探测器的工作原型。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): X-ray tricontrast imaging provides three different modes of contrast: absorption contrast (the mechanism behind how conventional medical X-ray imaging equipment images), phase contrast (which provides up to 1000X more contrast than absorption-based contrast for soft tissue), and scatter contrast (which provides information of features at dimensions smaller than the resolution of absorption and phase contrast). Access to all three contrast modes is widely considered one of the most exciting developments in modern X-ray physics, and has significant potential to change the face of biomedical imaging for early detection of cancer, osteoarthritis, and other soft tissue diseases. The recent development of Talbot-Lau interferometry, a grating- based technique that uses three gratings to achieve tricontrast imaging, has high potential to achieve tricontrast imaging in clinical use. However, there are several major limitations stemming from the use of two out of the three gratings. These two gratings are not entirely necessary and the removal of the gratings would still allow the technique to work, as long as substantial innovation is made to the source and to the detector. We propose to develop a high detective quantum efficiency (DQE) microstructured detector with good resolution to enable clinical Talbot interferometers without need of one of the two problematic gratings. The other grating may be removed by innovation on the source, for which we have also devised a proposal that has previously been submitted to the NIH and is awaiting a final funding decision (it received an outstanding impact score of 20). The proposed Phase I 6-month project is a proof-of-principle demonstration that the microstructured detector can be manufactured and would provide high detective quantum efficiency, and the proposed Phase II 24-month project would produce working prototypes of the detector.