Accurate and noise robust crosstalk removal techniques for edge illumination phase-based x-ray imaging systems

In x-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) using the edge illumination method (EI), crosstalk (XT) between adjacent pixels due to, e.g., light diffusion in the scintillator in indirect conversion detector systems is an issue that blurs images and reduces both image sharpness and quantitative accuracy. We provide a detailed mathematical description of this phenomenon and propose two independent methods to mitigate its negative effects. The effectiveness of these techniques is demonstrated through both simulated and experimental data, showcasing the improvements in image quality and quantitative accuracy. In particular, the experimental data include an intact mouse skull where soft tissue details of the brain are visualized and improved with the proposed deconvolution methods; to the best of our knowledge, details of the murine brain structure inside an intact skull had not been observed before with laboratory-based XPCI systems.