Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Paul Scherrer Institut

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Technische Universitat Munchen

Karlsruher Institut Fur Technologie

Total Sa

UniversitÉ De Pau Et Des Pays De L'adour

Franz Pfeiffer

Christian David

Stefan Popescu

Eckhard Hempel

Martin Hoheisel

Thomas Mertelmeier

Joachim W Baumann

Manfred Schuster

Martin Engelhardt

Jörg Freudenberger

Thomas Koehler

Tilman Donath

Peter Benjamin Theodor Noel

Elena Reznikova

Maximilian Von Teuffenbach

Juergen Mohr

Roland Proksa

Ewald Roessl

Hanns-Ingo Maack

Björn Heismann

Bernhard Johannes Brendel

Gerhard Martens

Rolf Karl Otto Behling

Udo Van Stevendaal

Matthias Honal

Peter Noel

Madleen Busse

Joachim Schulz

Vladimir Nazmov

Gérald Hamon

Patrice Creux

Barbara Matthis

Timm Weitkamp

Peter Benjamin THeodor Noel

Dieter Richard Hahn

Tobias Lasser

Yash Sharma

Florian Schaff

The present invention relates to specific complexes comprising heavy metal ions having an atomic number of 23 or higher and 83 or lower (in particular Ag, Ba, Pb, Gdand Bi) and one or more hematein ligand(s). In particular, the invention relates to the use of the complexes as ex vivo contrast agents for a computed tomography scanning of a biological sample. Moreover, the invention relates to specific ex vivo methods for investigating a biological sample by means of computed tomography scanning methods, wherein the method comprises staining the biological sample with a solution comprising one or more of the complex(es); or wherein the method comprises staining the biological sample with a staining solution comprising hematein, and separately contacting the biological sample with one or more staining solution(s) comprising one or more heavy metal ions having an atomic number of 23 or higher and 83 or lower (in particular Ag, Ba, Pb, Gdand Bi).

Heavy metal ion-hematein-complexes useful as ex vivo contrast agent for a computed tomography scanning of a biological sample, ex vivo method for investigating a biological sample, and use of the complexes

The invention relates to an X-ray CT method and in particular a registration-based dark-field tensor tomography method for testing a sample () by means of X-rays, with which method a sample () is consecutively scanned by means of X-rays in at least two fixed orientations differing from one another while rotating about a fixed rotation axis, in every orientation of the sample () on the basis of dark-field signals a plurality of scatter data sets is recorded, and the scatter data sets for different orientations are matched to one another by registration and combined into a common scatter data set reflecting a possible angular dependence of the scatter present due to the sample ().

Dark field tensor tomography method, specimen holder and device

An X-ray imaging apparatus with an interferometer (IF) and an X-ray detector (D). A footprint of the X-ray detector (D) is larger than a footprint of the interferometer (IF). The interferometer is moved in scan motion across the detector (D) whilst the detector (D) remains stationary. Preferably the detector is a 2D full field detector.

Scanning X-ray apparatus with full-field detector

A system and related method for signal processing. Interferometric projection data reconstructed into one or more images for a spatial distribution of a physical property of an imaged object. The interferometric projection data is derived from signals acquired by an X-ray detector (D), said signals caused by X-ray radiation after interaction of said X-ray radiation with an interferometer and with the object (OB) to be imaged, said interferometer (IF) having a reference phase. A reconstructor (RECON) reconstructs for the image(s) by fitting said data to a signal model by adapting fitting variables, said fitting variables including i) one or more imaging variables for the one or more images and ii), in addition to said one or more imaging variables, a dedicated phase variable for a fluctuation of said reference phase.

Robust reconstruction for dark-field and phase contrast CT

The present invention relates to an X-ray tensor tomography (XTT) system (), comprising a source () for providing a beam with coherent X-rays, a first grating () with first grating lines and a second grating () with second grating lines, the second grating lines being parallel to the first grating lines and the XTT-system () being configured to relatively shift the first grating () and/or the second grating () in a shifting direction () being parallel to the planes of the gratings (), a stage () for rotating the specimen about a first axis of rotation and about not more than two axes of rotation (), the first axis of rotation lying in a plane () being tilted by an angle &#x3c8; with respect to the to the planes of the gratings (), wherein 0&#xb0;&#x3c;&#x3c8;&#x2264;90&#xb0;, and by an angle &#x3b2; with respect to a plane being orthogonal to the direction of the beam path at a location of the stage (), wherein 0&#xb0;&#x3c;&#x3b2;&#x3c;90&#xb0;, a detector (), a reconstruction unit configured to reconstruct scattering tensors for a specimen.

X-ray tensor tomography system

Radiation source and detector arrangement for a differential phase contrast CT scanner, in which the detector tiles are placed asymmetrically such that direct rays, which hit gaps between tiles are sampled by tile centers for the complementary rays. This may provide for good image quality without any approximate processing.

Tiled detector arrangement for differential phase contrast CT

The invention relates to a source-detector arrangement () of an X-ray apparatus () for grating based phase contrast computed tomography. The source-detector arrangement comprises an X-ray source () adapted for rotational movement around a rotation axis (R) relative to an object () and adapted for emittance of an X-ray beam of coherent or quasi-coherent radiation in a line pattern (); and an X-ray detection system () including a first grating element () and a second grating element () and a detector element (); wherein the line pattern of the radiation and a grating direction of the grating elements are arranged orthogonal to the rotation axis; and wherein the first grating element has a first grating pitch varied dependent on a cone angle (&#x3b2;) of the X-ray beam and/or the second grating element has a second grating pitch varied dependent on the cone angle of the X-ray beam.

Source-detector arrangement

An X-ray tomography device for providing a 3D image of a sample comprising an X-ray source, a cell, a photon detector and a processing unit. The processing unit computes the 3D image on the basis of the images corresponding to a plurality of cell angles. The device further comprises a first and a second gratings having a grating period lower than 200 nm, and a microscope between the second grating and the detector.

X-ray tomography device

Grating interferometer comprising inclined phase grating structures, method for increasing the definition of phase contrast images of interferometers or in applications which are based on the Talbot effect, using inclined phase grating structures, phase gratings wherein the grating structures are positioned at angles on the substrate of the phase grating, method for producing grating structures which are positioned at angles on the substrate of the phase grating, and corresponding uses.

Inclined phase grating structures

Gratings for analyzing the interference image in interferometers for phase contrast X-ray tomography, comprising a carrier and grating webs produced from at least two different materials, method for producing the same and use thereof.

Gratings for X-ray imaging, consisting of at least two materials

An arrangement and a method are disclosed for projective and/or tomographic phase-contrast imaging using X-ray radiation. In at least one embodiment, one or more phase grids is/are arranged in the beam path such that during a rotation of the at least one X-ray source, the examination object is scanned with different spatial orientations of the grid lines relative to the examination object such that the complete refraction angle, and hence the complete phase shift gradient, can be determined for each X-ray beam from the two scans with differently oriented phase grids in order to be able to show the phase shift of an examination object in terms of projections or in a tomographic image.

Arrangement and method for projective and/or tomographic phase-contrast imaging using X-ray radiation

In a method for the production of x-ray-optical gratings composed of a first material forming of periodically arranged grating webs and grating openings, a second material is applied by electroplating to fill the grid openings. The electroplating is continued until a cohesive layer of the second material with uniform height is created over the grating webs with this layer having a large absorption coefficient, the absorption properties of the grating structure of the grating are homogenized, so an improvement of the measurement signals that are generated with this grating is improved. Moreover, the mechanical stability of gratings produced in such a manner is improved.

X-ray optical grating and method for the production thereof, and X-ray detector embodying same

An interferometer for x-rays, in particular hard x-rays, for obtaining quantitative x-ray images from an object, includes: a) an x-ray source, preferably a standard polychromatic x-ray source, b) a diffractive beam splitter grating other than a Bragg crystal, preferably in transmission geometry, c) a position-sensitive detector with spatially modulated detection sensitivity having a number of individual pixels; d) means for recording the images of the detector in a phase-stepping approach; and e) means for evaluating the intensities for each pixel in a series of images in order to identify the characteristic of the object for each individual pixel as an absorption dominated pixel and/or an differential phase contrast dominated pixel and/or an x-ray scattering dominated pixel.

X-ray interferometer for phase contrast imaging

An x-ray CT system that generates tomographic phase contrast or dark field exposures, has at least one grating interferometer with three grating structures arranged in series in the radiation direction, with a modular design of the second and third grating structures. The distance between the first grating structure of the x-ray source and the second grating structure (fashioned as a phase grating) of the respective grating/detector modules is adapted, depending on the fan angle, corresponding to a period of the grating structure of the x-ray source projected onto the grating detector module at a respective fan angle (&#x3c6;).

X-ray CT system to generate tomographic phase contrast or dark field exposures

An x-ray CT system for x-ray phase contrast and/or x-ray dark field imaging has a grating interferometer that has a first grating structure that has a number of band-shaped x-ray emission maxima and minima arranged in parallel, the maxima and minima exhibiting a first grating period, a second band-shaped grating structure that produces, as a phase grating, a partial phase offset of x-ray radiation passing therethrough and that exhibits a second grating period, a third band-shaped grating structure with a third grating period with which relative phase shifts of adjacent x-rays and/or their scatter components are detected, and a device for value-based determination of the phase between adjacent x-rays and/or for value-based determination of the spatial intensity curve per detector element perpendicular to the bands of the grating structures. The third grating structure has a grating period that is larger by a factor of 2 to 5 than the grating period of the first grating structure.

X-ray CT system for x-ray phase contrast and/or x-ray dark field imaging

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Brugg, Switzerland

Franz Pfeiffer