Phase-contrast imaging with synchrotron X-rays for detecting cancer lesions.
OBJECTIVE
We obtained image contrast in pathologic specimens without the use of contrast material by using phase-contrast imaging with synchrotron X-rays.


METHODS
An experiment was performed at the three-pole superconducting vertical wiggler beam line BL-14B at the Photon Factory in Tsukuba, Japan. The X-ray phase-contrast imaging system consisted of a double crystal monochromator, an asymmetrically cut crystal monochromator, a triple Laue-case X-ray interferometer, and film. The pathologic specimen was a sample from human liver that had metastatic carcinoma.


RESULTS
The X-ray phase-contrast images of the pathologic specimen clearly depicted the cancerous lesion without the use of contrast enhancement, and the image showed good correlation with the photograph of the specimen. The X-ray absorption image did not differentiate between the normal liver tissue and the tumor.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this preliminary experiment reveal that for materials such as biologic specimens with a low atomic number, X-ray phase-contrast imaging better differentiates tissues than does the absorption contrast imaging commonly used in radiology.
Takeda
T
T
Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Japan.
Momose
A
A
Itai
Y
Y
Wu
J
J
Hirano
K
K
D006801:Humans; D007368:Interferometry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008722:Methods; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011859:Radiography; D017356:Synchrotrons