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

 说明(申请人提供)：X射线三种对比成像提供三种不同的对比度模式：吸收对比度(传统医用X射线成像设备成像背后的机制)、相位对比度(对于软组织提供的对比度比基于吸收的对比度高出1000倍)和散射对比度(提供比吸收和相位对比度分辨率更小的维度的特征信息)。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，并具有巨大的潜力改变生物医学成像的面貌，用于癌症、骨关节炎和其他软组织疾病的早期检测。Talbot-Lau干涉技术是一种基于光栅的技术，它使用三个光栅来实现三像差成像，这一技术的最新发展使其在临床应用中具有很高的潜力。然而，由于使用三个栅中的两个而产生了几个主要的限制。这两个格栅并不是完全必要的，只要对光源和探测器进行实质性的创新，去除格栅仍然可以使该技术发挥作用。我们建议开发一种具有良好分辨率的高探测量子效率(DQE)微结构探测器，以使临床Talbot干涉仪不需要两个有问题的光栅之一。另一个格栅可以通过源头上的创新来消除，我们还为此设计了一份提案，该提案之前已提交给NIH，正在等待最终的资金决定(它获得了20分的突出影响分数)。拟议的第一阶段为期6个月的项目是对微结构探测器可以制造并将提供高探测量子效率的原则证明，拟议的第二阶段为期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.