• About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Friday, May 30, 2025
Manhattan Tribune
  • Home
  • World
  • International
  • Wall Street
  • Business
  • Health
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World
  • International
  • Wall Street
  • Business
  • Health
No Result
View All Result
Manhattan Tribune
No Result
View All Result
Home Science

New light transport model improves X-ray phase contrast imaging

manhattantribune.com by manhattantribune.com
15 August 2024
in Science
0
New light transport model improves X-ray phase contrast imaging
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Retrieved X-ray attenuation and Laplacian phase image of a wasp. Credit: University of Houston

Researchers at the University of Houston have unveiled a breakthrough in X-ray imaging technology that could bring significant improvements in medical diagnostics, materials and industrial imaging, transportation safety and other applications.

In an article featured on the cover of OpticalMini Das, Moores Professor in the UH College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and Cullen College of Engineering, and Jingcheng Yuan, a UH physics graduate student, present a new light transport model for a single-mask phase imaging system that improves nondestructive deep imaging for the visibility of light-element materials, including soft tissues such as cancers and background tissues such as plastics and explosives.

“Old X-ray technology relies on the absorption of X-rays to produce an image,” Das says. “But this method is difficult to use with materials of similar density, resulting in low contrast and difficulty distinguishing between different materials, which is a challenge for medical imaging, explosives detection and other fields.”

X-ray phase contrast imaging, or PCI, has gained considerable attention in recent years because of its potential to provide enhanced contrast for soft tissues by utilizing the relative phase changes as X-rays pass through an object. Among the many techniques available, single-mask differential imaging stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness in translating into practical applications and producing higher-contrast images than other methods. And it does so in a much simpler and more efficient manner with low-dose imaging in a single shot.

“Our new light transport model provides insight into contrast formation and how multiple contrast features mix in the acquired data,” Das said. “It thus enables the recovery of images with two distinct types of contrast mechanisms from a single exposure, which is a significant advancement over traditional methods.”

Phase gradient maps recovered from a wasp (colors represent positive and negative gradients). Credit: University of Houston

The design uses an X-ray mask with periodic slits, creating a compact configuration that improves edge contrast.

“This mask aligns with the detector pixels, allowing us to capture differential phase information that more clearly shows variations between materials. The main advantage of this solution is that it simplifies setup and reduces the need for high-resolution detectors or complex multi-shot processes,” Das added.

Das’s team has already tested its model through rigorous simulations and on its own laboratory X-ray imaging system. The next goal, she says, is to integrate the technology into portable systems and retrofit existing imaging setups to test it in real-world environments, such as hospitals, industrial X-ray imaging and airports.

“Our research opens up new possibilities for X-ray imaging by providing a simple, efficient and inexpensive method to enhance image contrast, which is a critical need for non-destructive deep imaging,” says Das.

“This makes phase contrast imaging more accessible and convenient, leading to better diagnostics and improved safety monitoring. It is a versatile solution for a wide range of imaging challenges. We are currently testing the feasibility of a number of applications.”

More information:
Jingcheng Yuan et al, Intensity transport model for single-mask X-ray differential phase contrast imaging, Optical (2024). DOI: 10.1364/OPTICA.510537

Provided by the University of Houston

Quote:New light transport model improves X-ray phase contrast imaging (2024, August 14) retrieved August 14, 2024, from

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without written permission. The content is provided for informational purposes only.



Tags: contrastimagingimproveslightmodelphasetransportXray
Previous Post

Atlantic tropical mix rewrites climate model rules

Next Post

NASA has not yet decided whether to keep two astronauts on the space station until next year.

Next Post
NASA has not yet decided whether to keep two astronauts on the space station until next year.

NASA has not yet decided whether to keep two astronauts on the space station until next year.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Category

  • Blog
  • Business
  • Health
  • International
  • National
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Wall Street
  • World
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact

© 2023 Manhattan Tribune -By Millennium Press

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • International
  • World
  • Business
  • Science
  • National
  • Sports

© 2023 Manhattan Tribune -By Millennium Press