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Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Non-invasive 3D-Visualization with Sub-micron Resolution Using Synchrotron-X-ray-tomography
Published on: May 27, 2008
Phase-contrast hard X-ray microscopy using synchrotron radiation for the diagnosis of onychomycosis
Onseok Lee1, Seunghan Ha, Gunwoo Lee
1Research Institute for Skin Image, Korea University Medical Center, Guro-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract:
Onychomycosis, or fungal infection of the nail, is a disease seen frequently in clinical settings. However, the rates of positive identification using potassium hydroxide preparations or fungal cultures are relatively low. Precise diagnosis is possible via histopathologic examination to monitor the existence of fungus and performance of a fungal culture for confirmation. Phase-contrast hard X-ray microscopy using synchrotron radiation provides 70-nm spatial resolution and enables imaging of minute internal cellular structures. This study confirms the feasibility of diagnosing onychomycosis using a phase-contrast hard X-ray microscope developed at 1B2 beam line using a Pohang light source.
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