Radiography of soft tissue of the foot and ankle with diffraction enhanced imaging

Abstract

Non-calcified tissues, including tendons, ligaments, adipose tissue and cartilage, are not visible, for any practical purposes, with conventional X-ray imaging. Therefore, any pathological changes in these tissues generally necessitate detection through magnetic resonance imaging or ultrasound technology. Until recently the development of an X-ray imaging technique that could detect both bone and soft tissues seemed unrealistic. However, the introduction of diffraction enhanced X-ray imaging (DEI) which is capable of rendering images with absorption, refraction and scatter rejection qualities has allowed detection of specific soft tissues based on small differences in tissue densities. Here we show for the first time that DEI allows high contrast imaging of soft tissues, including ligaments, tendons and adipose tissue, of the human foot and ankle.

Clinical step onward with X-ray dark-field imaging and perspective view of medical applications of synchrotron radiation in Japan

“…Gureyev et al [58] have used animals phasecontrast imaging. DEI is in use to see excised human ankle taken [59,60]. Shimao et al [61,62] used the Laue transmission analyzer crystal to show a phantom of a sliced human knee joint that was embedded with the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).…”

“…One is an attempt at mammography [52][53][54][55][56][57] and the other is at osteoarthritis [58][59][60] where trials of visualizing animal and human joints and their soft tissues are under way. Gureyev et al [58] have used animals phasecontrast imaging.…”

Images of the Rat bone, Vertebra and Test phantom Using Diffraction-Enhanced Imaging Technique with 20, 30 and 40 keV Synchrotron X-rays

“…This novel X-ray imaging technology carried out at NSLS, BNL has previously shown it is possible to visualize breast tissue and a number of related medical samples demonstrate that the technique has the potential to provide new information [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9].…”

Preliminary studies of enhanced contrast radiography in anatomy and embryology of insects with Elettra synchrotron light

“…Dilmanian [14] developed the DEI computed tomography processing. Applications when the DEI can be useful were made by Pisano [15], Li [16] and Lewis [17]. Improvements in this ''classical'' DEI mathematical process, that considers only absorption and refraction effects (no scatter effects), have been made by Pagot [10], Rigon [18], Oltulu [19] and Wernick [20] considering also scattering (ultra small angle X-ray scattering).…”