Talbot-Lau X-ray imaging (TLXI) provides information about scattering and refractive features of objects – in addition to the well-known conventional X-ray attenuation image. We investigated the potential of TLXI for the detection of hairline fractures in bones, which are often initially occult in conventional 2D X-ray images. For this purpose, hairline fractures were extrinsically provoked in a porcine trotter (post-mortem) and scanned with a TLXI system. In the examined case, hairline fractures caused dark-field and differential-phase signals, whereas they were not evident in the conventional X-ray image. These findings motivate a comprehensive and systematic investigation of the applicability of TLXI for diagnosing hairline fractures.
Purpose: To evaluate the performance of an experimental X-ray dark-field radiography system for chest imaging in humans and to compare with conventional diagnostic imaging. Materials and Methods: The study was institutional review board (IRB) approved. A single human cadaver (52 years, female, height: 173 cm, weight: 84 kg, chest circumference: 97 cm) was imaged within 24 hours post mortem on the experimental x-ray dark-field system. In addition, the cadaver was imaged on a clinical CT system to obtain a reference scan. The grating-based dark-field radiography setup was equipped with a set of three gratings to enable grating-based dark-field contrast x-ray imaging. The prototype operates at an acceleration voltage of up to 70 kVp and with a field-of-view large enough for clinical chest x-ray (>35 x 35 cm2). Results: It was feasible to extract x-ray dark-field signal of the whole human thorax, clearly demonstrating that human x-ray dark-field chest radiography is feasible. Lung tissue produced strong scattering, reflected in a pronounced x-ray dark-field signal. The ribcage and the backbone are less prominent than the lung but are also distinguishable. Finally, the soft tissue is not present in the dark-field radiography. The regions of the lungs affected by edema, as verified by CT, showed less dark-field signal compared to healthy lung tissue. Conclusion: Our results reveal the current status of translating dark-field imaging from a micro (small animal) scale to a macro (patient) scale. The performance of the experimental x-ray dark-field radiography setup offers, for the first time, obtaining multi-contrast chest x-ray images (attenuation and dark-field signal) from a human cadaver.
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