Energy dispersive X-ray diffraction computed tomography of breast-simulating phantoms and a tissue sample

Abstract

Breast lesions and normal tissue have different characteristics of density and molecular arrangement that affect their diffraction patterns. X-ray diffraction can be used to determine the spatial structure of such tissues at the atomic and molecular level. Energy Dispersive X-Ray Diffraction Computed Tomography (EDXRDCT) can be used to produce 2-dimensional images of cross sections of the samples. The purpose of this work is to use an EDXRDCT system to find the limiting visibility for details that simulate breast lesions. Results are presented for EDXRDCT images of samples of different materials simulating breast tissue contrast and shapes. For simple circular details, the contrast between details and background in the images was measured with the goal of simulating the contrast between real breast tissue components. The limiting visible diameter was measured as a function of detail diameter for different combinations of scanning and geometrical parameters. Images of more complex test objects were assessed in terms of both contrast and accuracy of shape reproduction, evaluating the feasibility of using shape analysis as an additional parameter for lesion identification. The optimum combination of parameters are intended to be applied to the scanning of waxed breast tissue blocks.

Quantifying multiple stain distributions in bioimaging by hyperspectral X-ray tomography

“…Prior to scanning of the samples, calibration of the detector was performed by acquiring fluorescent X-ray signals from a series of metal foils, emitted upon exposure to a radioactive 241 Am source. Matching of the theoretical X-ray fluorescence peak energies to their measured energy channel position enabled a linear fitting to be determined, providing a direct energy-to-channel conversion 26 (see Supplementary Fig. S1).…”

Enhanced hyperspectral tomography for bioimaging by spatiospectral reconstruction

“…Prior to scanning, a preliminary energy calibration procedure was performed through the measurement of characteristic fluorescence signals from a series of metals 35 . The calibration procedure provides a direct transition between energy channels and their corresponding energies.…”

Characterization of the metal–semiconductor interface of gold contacts on CdZnTe formed by electroless deposition

“…These detectors have been demonstrated in the fields of medical imaging [10][11][12], homeland security [13,14] and materials science [15,16]. Spectroscopic x-ray imaging is demanding in both energy and spatial resolution requirements.…”