Rationale and Objectives
In conventional projection radiography, cartilage and other soft tissues do not produce enough radiographic contrast to be distinguishable from each other. Diffraction-enhanced imaging (DEI) uses a monochromatic x-ray beam and a silicon crystal analyzer to produce images in which attenuation contrast is greatly enhanced and x-ray refraction at tissue boundaries can be detected. Here we test the efficacy of conventional x-ray tube-based DEI for the detection of soft tissues in experimental samples.
Materials and Methods
Cadaveric human tali (normal and degenerated), knee, and thumb were imaged by DEI by using a conventional x-ray tube and DEI set-up which includes a double silicon crystal monochromator and a silicon crystal analyzer positioned between the imaged object and a detector.
Results
DEI images of the cadaveric tali allowed visualization of cartilage and its specific level of degeneration for each specimen. There was a significant correlation between grade of cartilage integrity as assessed through tube-DEI images in comparison to their respective histological sections (r = 0.97;p = 0.01). Images of the intact knee showed the articular cartilage edge of the femoral condyle even though superimposed by the tibia. In the thumb image, it was possible to visualize articular cartilage, tendon, and other soft tissues.
Conclusion
DEI, based on a conventional x-ray tube, allows the visualization of skeletal and soft tissues simultaneously. Although more in-depth testing and optimization of the DEI set-up must be carried out, these data demonstrate a proof of principle for further development of the technology for future clinical imaging.
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