High-resolution μCT of a mouse embryo using a compact laser-driven X-ray betatron source

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Physics
• Materials Science

Background:

• X-ray microcomputed tomography (microCT) requires faster acquisition at high resolution for in vivo and high-throughput studies.
• Synchrotron sources are impractical for some applications, necessitating development of laboratory-scale, high-brightness X-ray sources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the feasibility of a compact laser-plasma X-ray source for microCT imaging.
• To compare the performance of this novel source against a commercial microCT scanner.

Main Methods:

• Imaging of a fixed embryonic mouse sample using a compact laser-plasma X-ray source.
• Comparison of resulting microCT images with those from a commercial X-ray microCT scanner.
• Characterization of the laser-driven X-ray source properties (pulsed, bright, small source size, critical energy).

Main Results:

• The laser-plasma X-ray source produced tomographic images of equivalent quality to a commercial microCT scanner.
• The source generates pulsed X-rays (<30 fs) with high photon flux (>10^10 photons/pulse) and small source size (<1 micrometer).
• X-ray flux scales with laser repetition rate without compromising source size, enabling rapid scanning.

Conclusions:

• The laser-driven X-ray source is suitable for high-resolution microCT applications.
• This technology can significantly reduce acquisition times for high-resolution microCT scans, enabling minutes-long recordings.
• The development represents a crucial step towards practical, laboratory-based high-brightness X-ray sources for advanced imaging.