Application of sensitive, high-resolution imaging at a commercial lab-based X-ray micro-CT system using...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Imaging
• Physics

Background:

• Commercial micro-computed tomography (μCT) systems offer high-resolution 3D imaging.
• X-ray phase contrast imaging enhances visualization of small features and weakly absorbing materials.
• Previous work optimized experimental conditions for μCT systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate single-distance phase-contrast imaging on complex biological and material samples using a commercial μCT system.
• To extract phase signals or correct mixed images for phase shifts.
• To showcase enhanced contrast and artifact removal in μCT imaging.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a commercial ZEISS Xradia 500 Versa μCT system.
• Employed single-distance phase-contrast imaging techniques.
• Applied phase signal extraction and image correction methods.

Main Results:

• Successfully applied phase-contrast imaging to complex biological and material samples.
• Demonstrated effective extraction of phase signals and correction of mixed images.
• Achieved increased contrast and artifact reduction in the resulting μCT images.

Conclusions:

• High-quality, micrometre-resolution 3D imaging is accessible with advanced commercial laboratory μCT devices.
• X-ray phase contrast significantly improves imaging of challenging samples.
• Synchrotron X-ray sources are not required for sensitive, high-resolution μCT imaging.