Analysis and interpretation of the first monochromatic X-ray tomography data collected at the Australian Synchrotron Imaging and Medical beamline.

The first monochromatic X-ray tomography experiments conducted at the Imaging and Medical beamline of the Australian Synchrotron are reported. The sample was a phantom comprising nylon line, Al wire and finer Cu wire twisted together. Data sets were collected at four different X-ray energies. In order to quantitatively account for the experimental values obtained for the Hounsfield (or CT) number, it was necessary to consider various issues including the point-spread function for the X-ray imaging system and harmonic contamination of the X-ray beam. The analysis and interpretation of the data includes detailed considerations of the resolution and efficiency of the CCD detector, calculations of the X-ray spectrum prior to monochromatization, allowance for the response of the double-crystal Si monochromator used (via X-ray dynamical theory), as well as a thorough assessment of the role of X-ray phase-contrast effects. Computer simulations relating to the tomography experiments also provide valuable insights into these important issues. It was found that a significant discrepancy between theory and experiment for the Cu wire could be largely resolved in terms of the effect of the point-spread function. The findings of this study are important in respect of any attempts to extract quantitative information from X-ray tomography data, across a wide range of disciplines, including materials and life sciences.

In-Line Phase-Contrast X-ray Imaging and Tomography for Materials Science.

X-ray phase-contrast imaging and tomography make use of the refraction of X-rays by the sample in image formation. This provides considerable additional information in the image compared to conventional X-ray imaging methods, which rely solely on X-ray absorption by the sample. Phase-contrast imaging highlights edges and internal boundaries of a sample and is thus complementary to absorption contrast, which is more sensitive to the bulk of the sample. Phase-contrast can also be used to image low-density materials, which do not absorb X-rays sufficiently to form a conventional X-ray image. In the context of materials science, X-ray phase-contrast imaging and tomography have particular value in the 2D and 3D characterization of low-density materials, the detection of cracks and voids and the analysis of composites and multiphase materials where the different components have similar X-ray attenuation coefficients. Here we review the use of phase-contrast imaging and tomography for a wide variety of materials science characterization problems using both synchrotron and laboratory sources and further demonstrate the particular benefits of phase contrast in the laboratory setting with a series of case studies.

Quantitative comparison of preparation methodologies for X-ray fluorescence microscopy of brain tissue.

X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) facilitates high-sensitivity quantitative imaging of trace metals at high spatial resolution over large sample areas and can be applied to a diverse range of biological samples. Accurate determination of elemental content from recorded spectra requires proper calibration of the XFM instrument under the relevant operating conditions. Here, we describe the manufacture, characterization, and utilization of multi-element thin-film reference foils for use in calibration of XFM measurements of biological and other specimens. We have used these internal standards to assess the two-dimensional distribution of trace metals in a thin tissue section of a rat hippocampus. The data used in this study was acquired at the XFM beamline of the Australian Synchrotron using a new 384-element array detector (Maia) and at beamline 2-ID-E at the Advanced Photon Source. Post-processing of samples by different fixation techniques was investigated, with the conclusion that differences in solvent type and sample handling can significantly alter elemental content. The present study highlights the quantitative capability, high statistical power, and versatility of the XFM technique for mapping trace metals in biological samples, e.g., brain tissue samples in order to help understand neurological processes, especially when implemented in conjunction with a high-performance detector such as Maia.

First experiments on the Australian Synchrotron Imaging and Medical beamline, including investigations of the effective source size in respect of X-ray imaging.

The Imaging and Medical beamline at the Australian Synchrotron achieved ;first light' in December 2008. Here, the first experiments performed on the beamline are reported, which involved both X-ray imaging and tomography studies for a range of samples. The use of a plastic-edge phantom for quantitative measurements of contrast and resolution proved to be very instructive and helped to confirm certain parameter values such as the effective horizontal source size, detector resolution and average X-ray energy for the polychromatic beam.

Some simple rules for contrast, signal-to-noise and resolution in in-line x-ray phase-contrast imaging.

Simple analytical expressions are derived for the spatial resolution, contrast and signal-to-noise in X-ray projection images of a generic phase edge. The obtained expressions take into account the maximum phase shift generated by the sample and the sharpness of the edge, as well as such parameters of the imaging set-up as the wavelength spectrum and the size of the incoherent source, the source-to-object and object-to-detector distances and the detector resolution. Different asymptotic behavior of the expressions in the cases of large and small Fresnel numbers is demonstrated. The analytical expressions are compared with the results of numerical simulations using Kirchhoff diffraction theory, as well as with experimental X-ray measurements.

Computed tomography with linear shift-invariant optical systems.

Optical systems capable of three-dimensional transmission imaging are considered; these systems employ a conventional tomographic setup with an added linear shift-invariant optical system between the sample and the detector. A theoretical analysis is presented of image formation and sample reconstruction in such systems, examples of which include diffraction tomography and phase-contrast tomography with the use of analyzer crystals. An example is introduced in which the image is obtained by scanning the beam along the line orthogonal to the optic axis and to the axis of rotation with a one-dimensional slit or grating parallel to the rotation axis. We show that under certain conditions the proposed system may allow quantitative local (region-of-interest) tomography.

Effects of incident illumination on in-line phase-contrast imaging.

Effects of incident illumination on phase-contrast images obtained by means of free-space propagation are investigated under the "transport-of-intensity" approximation. Analytical expressions for image intensity distribution are derived in the cases of coherent quasi-plane and quasi-spherical incident waves, as well as for spatially incoherent and quasi-homogeneous sources and some other types of sources. Practical methods for measuring the relevant parameters of the incident radiation are discussed together with formulas allowing one to calculate the effect of these parameters on the image intensity distribution. The results are expected to be useful in quantitative in-line imaging, phase retrieval, and tomography with polychromatic and spatially partially coherent radiation. As an application we present a method for simultaneous "automatic" phase retrieval and spatial deconvolution in in-line imaging of homogeneous objects using extended polychromatic x-ray sources.

X-ray ultramicroscopy using integrated sample cells.

The X-ray ultramicroscope (XuM), based on using a scanning electron microscope as host, provides a new approach to X-ray projection microscopy. The right-angle-type integrated sample cells described here expand the capabilities of the XuM technique. The integrated sample cell combines a target, a spacer, a sample chamber, and an exit window in one physical unit, thereby simplifying the instrumentation and providing increased mechanical stability. The XuM imaging results presented here, obtained using such right-angle integrated sample cells, clearly demonstrate the ability to characterize very small features in objects, down to of order 100nm, including their use for dry, wet and even liquid samples.

Optical phase retrieval by use of first Born- and Rytov-type approximations.

The first Born and Rytov approximations of scattering theory are introduced in their less familiar near-field versions. Two algorithms for phase retrieval based on these approximations are then described. It is shown theoretically and by numerical simulations that, despite the differences in their formulation, the two algorithms deliver fairly similar results when used for optical phase retrieval in the near and intermediate fields. The algorithms are applied to derive explicit solutions to four phase-retrieval problems of practical relevance to quantitative phase-contrast imaging and tomography. An example of successful phase reconstruction by use of the Born-type algorithm with an experimental x-ray image is presented.

A method for local deconvolution.

A new method for deconvolution of one-dimensional and multidimensional data is suggested. The proposed algorithm is local in the sense that the deconvolved data at a given point depend only on the value of the experimental data and their derivatives at the same point. In a regularized version of the algorithm the deconvolution is constructed iteratively with the help of an approximate deconvolution operator that requires only the low-order derivatives of the data and low-order integral moments of the point-spread function. This algorithm is expected to be particularly useful in applications in which only partial knowledge of the point-spread function is available. We tested and compared the proposed method with some of the popular deconvolution algorithms using simulated data with various levels of noise.