Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Franz Josef Pfeiffer

Thomas Koehler

Roland Proksa

Klaus Jürgen Engel

Peter Benjamin Theodor Noel

Maximilian Von Teuffenbach

Daniela Muenzel

Alexander André Fingerle

Konstantin Willer

Theresa Urban

Manuel Peter Viermetz

Julia Herzen

The present invention relates to a system () for X-ray dark-field, phase contrast and attenuation image acquisition. The system comprises an X-ray source (), an interferometer arrangement (), an X-ray detector (), a control unit (), and an output unit (). An axis is defined extending from a centre of the X-ray source to a centre of the X-ray detector. An examination region is located between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector. The axis extends through the examination region, and the examination region is configured to enable location of an object to be examined. The interferometer arrangement is located between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector. The interferometer arrangement comprises a first grating () and a second grating (). For a first mode of operation: The control unit is configured to control at least one lateral movement transducer () to move the first grating or move the second grating in a lateral position direction perpendicular to the axis. The control unit is configured to control the X-ray detector to acquire image data whilst the first grating and/or second grating is moving. During an exposure time of the X-ray detector the first grating and/or second grating has moved a distance less than a period of the first grating and/or second grating. The control unit is configured to control movement of the first grating and/or second grating such that the image data is acquired whilst the first grating and/or second grating is moving. For the first mode of operation the output unit is configured to output one or more of: dark-field image data, phase contrast image data, and attenuation image data.

System for X-ray dark-field, phase contrast and attenuation image acquisition

The present invention relates to an apparatus () for processing of data acquired by a dark-field and/or phase contrast X-ray imaging system, the apparatus comprising an input unit (), and a processing unit (). The input unit is configured to provide the processing unit with blank scan fringe data acquired by a dark-field and/or phase contrast X-ray imaging system comprising an interferometry arrangement and detector. The input unit is configured to provide the processing unit with sample scan fringe data acquired by the dark-field and/or phase contrast X-ray imaging system, with an object to be imaged is positioned within the dark-field and/or phase contrast X-ray imaging system. The processing unit is configured to pre-process the blank scan fringe data to determine pre- processed blank scan fringe data comprising utilization of an effective point spread function 'PSF'. The processing unit is configured to pre-process the sample scan fringe data to determine pre- processed sample scan fringe data, comprising utilization of the effective point spread function 'PSF'. The effective PSF has been determined for the dark-field and/ or phase contrast X-ray imaging system.

Apparatus for processing data acquired by a dark-field and/or phase contrast X-ray imaging system

A method of a virtual X-ray colonoscopy includes scanning () a dark-field contrast () insufflated colon lumen () with an X-ray scanner () configured for dark-field-contrast, which generates dark-field-contrasted projection data and attenuation projection data. The dark-field-contrasted projection data and the attenuation projection data are reconstructed () into one or more dark-field-contrasted images ().

Dark-field enhanced virtual x-ray colonoscopy

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Unterfohring, Germany

Franz Josef Pfeiffer