title: Blood vessels: depiction at phase-contrast X-ray imaging without contrast agents in the mouse and rat-feasibility study.
abstract: The ability of phase-contrast x-ray imaging to depict blood vessels without contrast agents was tested by observing livers of a mouse and a rat with synchrotron x rays. Livers were excised by tying arteries and veins to prevent blood from flowing out of the liver. An x-ray interferometer was used to obtain x-ray phase contrast. With the technique of phase-shifting x-ray interferometry, the image mapping x-ray phase shift caused by a liver was measured. The x-ray phase shift caused by blood was substantially different from that caused by other soft tissues; consequently, trees of blood vessels were revealed on the image. Vessels with diameter smaller than 0.1 mm were recognized. This result allows new possibilities for investigation of the vascular system.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Research Laboratory, Hitachi, Saitama, Japan. momose@exp.t.u.tokyo.ac.jp
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Momose
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itai
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007368:Interferometry; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D017356:Synchrotrons
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media