X-ray dark-field phase-contrast imaging: Origins of the concept to practical implementation and applications

Abstract

The basic idea of X-ray dark-field imaging (XDFI), first presented in 2000, was based on the concepts used in an X-ray interferometer. In this article, we review 20 years of developments in our theoretical understanding, scientific instrumentation, and experimental demonstration of XDFI and its applications to medical imaging. We first describe the concepts underlying XDFI that are responsible for imparting phase contrast information in projection X-ray images. We then review the algorithms that can convert these projection phase images into three-dimensional tomographic slices. Various implementations of computed tomography reconstructions algorithms for XDFI data are discussed. The next four sections describe and illustrate potential applications of XDFI in pathology, musculoskeletal imaging, oncologic imaging, and neuroimaging. The sample applications that are presented illustrate potential use scenarios for XDFI in histopathology and other clinical applications. Finally, the last section presents future perspectives and potential technical developments that can make XDFI an even more powerful tool.

Synchrotron Radiation Refraction-Contrast Computed Tomography Based on X-ray Dark-Field Imaging Optics of Pulmonary Malignancy: Comparison with Pathologic Examination

“…Although our XDFI CT modality does not cover the entire human lung, we believe it possesses unique advantages. These include the proven comparability of the synchrotron imaging method with pathologic examination and the potential for 3D virtual histology [11,13,17,45].…”

“…The monochromatic and high-beam parallel characteristics of synchrotron X-rays produce images that can distinguish soft tissues with similar attenuation coefficients. This imaging method is efficient in soft-tissue discrimination, including articular cartilage, human breast, eyeballs, and coronary arteries [14][15][16][17].…”

Multiscale X-ray phase-contrast CT unveils the evolution of bile infarct in obstructive biliary disease

“…The behavior of the X-ray beam while traversing a sample can be defined by the 3D complex refractive index distribution, , where the real part represents the refractive index decrement, which describes the X-ray phase-shift; the imaginary part denotes the attenuation index responsible for the X-ray attenuation; and are the spatial coordinates 35 . Since Röntgen discovered X-rays in 1895, X-ray attenuation information has been widely utilized in medical imaging, but its limitations are also obvious and it is not suitable for biological soft tissue imaging.…”

Editorial

“…To overcome this drawback phase contrast X-ray imaging was proposed in early '70s and since then many attempts have been done to implement this method, first using synchrotron radiation and later on with conventional X-ray tubes by using X-ray grating interferometry. The review by A. Momose [4] presents at length the theory of phase contrast X-ray imaging and discusses the encouraging results of the first pilot studies on patients in mammography and in the diagnosis of Different from the previous contribution, the review by Ando et al [5] discusses a specific variation of the X-ray contrast imaging. This technique, introduced in early 2000, is based on X-ray refraction imaging and is named X-ray dark field imaging (XDFI).…”