X-ray propagation-based equally sloped tomography for mouse brain

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Ren, Yuqi^{a; 1} | Wang, Yudan^{a; 1} | Zhou, Guangzhao^a | He, You^a | Xie, Honglan^{a; c} | Du, Guohao^a | Deng, Biao^{a; c} | Lin, Xiaojie^b | Yang, Guo-yuan^b | Xiao, Tiqiao^{a; c; *}

Affiliations: [a] Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China | [b] Med-X Research Institute and School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China | [c] University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Tiqiao Xiao, No. 239 Zhangheng Road, Pudong District, Shanghai 201204, China. Tel.: +862133933197; Fax: +862133933021; E-mail: tqxiao@sinap.ac.cn.

Note: [1] These authors contributed equally to this work.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:The outstanding functional importance of the brain implies a strong need for brain imaging modalities. However, the current imaging approaches that target the brain in rodents remain suboptimal. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS:In this paper, X-ray propagation-based phase contrast imaging combined with equally sloped tomography (PPCI-EST) was employed to nondestructively investigate the mouse brain. RESULTS:The grey and white matters, which have extremely small differences in electron density, were clearly discriminated. The fine structures, including the corpus callosum (cc), the optic chiasma (ox) and the caudate putamen (CPu), were revealed. Compared to the filtered back projection reconstruction, the PPCI-EST significantly reduce projection number while maintaining sufficient image quality. CONCLUSIONS:It could be a potential tool for fast and low-dose phase-contrast imaging to biomedical specimens.

Keywords: X-ray propagation-based phase contrast imaging, equally sloped tomography, mouse brain

DOI: 10.3233/XST-160533

Journal: Journal of X-Ray Science and Technology, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 79-86, 2016