Rectangular computed tomography using a stationary array of CNT emitters: initial experimental results

Gonzales, Brian; Spronk, Derrek; Cheng, Yuan; Zhang, Zheng; Pan, Xiaochuan; Beckmann, Moritz; Zhou, Otto; Lu, Jianping

doi:10.1117/12.2008030

Cited by 8 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…By sequentially switching on and off the individual and spatially distributed sources, a “scanning” X-ray beam can be generated to image an object from different viewing angles without mechanical motion, which enables fast and high-resolution tomography imaging. This has been demonstrated in stationary digital tomosynthesis for imaging the breast (Qian et al 2012) and chest (Shan et al 2013), tomosynthesis-guided radiation therapy (Maltz et al 2009), and stationary computed tomography (Gonzales et al 2013). To obtain a higher X-ray flux, all or a subset of the X-ray sources can be switched on at the same time to irradiate an object from different directions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Image-guided microbeam irradiation to brain tumour bearing mice using a carbon nanotube x-ray source array

Zhang¹,

Yuan²,

Burk³

et al. 2014

Phys. Med. Biol.

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Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) is a promising experimental and preclinical radiotherapy method for cancer treatment. Synchrotron based MRT experiments have shown that spatially fractionated microbeam radiation has the unique capability of preferentially eradicating tumour cells while sparing normal tissue in brain tumour bearing animal models. We recently demonstrated the feasibility of generating orthovoltage microbeam radiation with an adjustable microbeam width using a carbon nanotube based X-ray source array. Here we report the preliminary results from our efforts in developing an image guidance procedure for the targeted delivery of the narrow microbeams to the small tumour region in the mouse brain. Magnetic resonance imaging was used for tumour identification, and on-board X-ray radiography was used for imaging of landmarks without contrast agents. The two images were aligned using 2D rigid body image registration to determine the relative position of the tumour with respect to a landmark. The targeting accuracy and consistency were evaluated by first irradiating a group of mice inoculated with U87 human glioma brain tumours using the present protocol and then determining the locations of the microbeam radiation tracks using γ-H2AX immunofluorescence staining. The histology results showed that among 14 mice irradiated, 11 received the prescribed number of microbeams on the targeted tumour, with an average localization accuracy of 454 μm measured directly from the histology (537 μm if measured from the registered histological images). Two mice received one of the three prescribed microbeams on the tumour site. One mouse was excluded from the analysis due to tissue staining errors.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Image-guided microbeam irradiation to brain tumour bearing mice using a carbon nanotube x-ray source array

Zhang¹,

Yuan²,

Burk³

et al. 2014

Phys. Med. Biol.

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“…However, the forward scatter still makes it difficult to reconstruct an accurate image. Similar to the work in [ 21 ], the forward scatter can be measured and addressed by the scatter correction method. Fourth, based on the quest for the cardiac CT scanner in [ 7 ], the system cost may be another problem.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A long focal line was used to dissipate heat on a stationary anode, then a high-flux X-ray can be acquired from the focal line. Gonzales et al [ 21 , 22 ] proposed a rectangular CT scan setup focusing on security applications, which is a stationary CT system based on CNT X-ray tubes. This CT system uses linear CNT X-ray tubes to construct a stationary CT setup and the CNT-based X-ray source contains a dense array of independently controlled electron emission points.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and Simulation Study of a CNT-Based Multisource Cubical CT System for Dynamic Objects

et al. 2018

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The purpose of this paper is to design and simulate a new computed tomography (CT) system with a high temporal resolution for dynamic objects. We propose a multisource cubical CT (MCCT) system with X-ray tubes and detectors installed on a cube. Carbon nanotube- (CNT-) based X-ray focal spots are distributed on the twelve edges of the cube. The distribution of X-ray focal spots and detectors completely avoids mechanical movements to scan an object under inspection. CNTs are excellent electron field emitters because the use of a “cold” cathode makes it possible to fabricate a cathode with multiple electron emission points, and the CNT-based X-ray focal spots possess little response time and programmable emission. The proposed rotation-free MCCT system can acquire a high scanning speed when using a high frame rate detector. A three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction algorithm with tensor framelet-based L0-norm (TF-L0) minimization is developed for the simulation study of the MCCT. Simulation experiment results demonstrate the feasibility of the MCCT system.

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“…The x-ray source array was operated at 80 kVp in this study because that was the maximum design specification for the specific tube, which is why this study was done at a lower energy than the energy used in commercial chest tomosynthesis systems (typically 120 kVp). However, CNT x-ray source arrays using the same technology with energies up to 160 kVp, with comparable and higher power output, are now available for other imaging applications from XinRay Systems (Gonzales et al 2013). Future plans include designing and building a dedicated source array for chest tomosynthesis for higher x-ray energies, the feasibility of which has been demonstrated through the 160 kVp source array developed at XinRay Systems.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It also opens up the feasibility of designing tomography scanners with novel geometries, as stationary imaging with multiple sources removes the issues associated with managing the momentum of heavy x-ray sources moving in multidimensional paths. The application of the distributed CNT x-ray source array for stationary tomography has recently been demonstrated for digital breast tomosynthesis, (Qian et al 2009(Qian et al 2012 tomosynthesis image guidance for radiation therapy, (Maltz et al 2009) a novel tetrahedron CT concept, (Xu et al 2011) and stationary CT for homeland security (Gonzales et al 2013). The purpose of this research is to investigate the feasibility of stationary digital chest tomosynthesis (s-DCT) using a CNT x-ray source array, and the system requirements for the source array for s-DCT.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stationary chest tomosynthesis using a carbon nanotube x-ray source array: a feasibility study

Shan¹,

Tucker²,

Lee³

et al. 2014

Phys. Med. Biol.

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Chest tomosynthesis is a low-dose, quasi-3D imaging modality that has been demonstrated to improve the detection sensitivity for small lung nodules, compared to 2D chest radiography. The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility and system requirements of stationary chest tomosynthesis (s-DCT) using a spatially distributed carbon nanotube (CNT) x-ray source array, where the projection images are collected by electronically activating individual x-ray focal spots in the source array without mechanical motion of the x-ray source, detector, or the patient. A bench-top system was constructed using an existing CNT field emission source array and a flat panel detector. The tube output, beam quality, focal spot size, system in-plane and in-depth resolution were characterized. Tomosynthesis slices of an anthropomorphic chest phantom were reconstructed for image quality assessment. All 75 CNT sources in the source array were shown to operate reliably at 80 kVp and 5 mA tube current. Source-to-source consistency in the tube current and focal spot size was observed. The incident air kerma reading per mAs was measured as 74.47 uGy mAs(-1) at 100 cm. The first half value layer of the beam was 3 mm aluminum. An average focal spot size of 2.5 × 0.5 mm was measured. The system MTF was measured to be 1.7 cycles mm(-1) along the scanning direction, and 3.4 cycles mm(-1) perpendicular to the scanning direction. As the angular coverage of 11.6°-34°, the full width at half maximum of the artifact spread function improved greatly from 9.5 to 5.2 mm. The reconstructed tomosynthesis slices clearly show airways and pulmonary vascular structures in the anthropomorphic lung phantom. The results show the CNT source array is capable of generating sufficient dose for chest tomosynthesis imaging. The results obtained so far suggest an s-DCT using a distributed CNT x-ray source array is feasible.

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Rectangular computed tomography using a stationary array of CNT emitters: initial experimental results

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Image-guided microbeam irradiation to brain tumour bearing mice using a carbon nanotube x-ray source array

Image-guided microbeam irradiation to brain tumour bearing mice using a carbon nanotube x-ray source array

Design and Simulation Study of a CNT-Based Multisource Cubical CT System for Dynamic Objects

Stationary chest tomosynthesis using a carbon nanotube x-ray source array: a feasibility study

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