title: Characterization of the phase-contrast radiography edge-enhancement effect in a cabinet x-ray system.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that a commercially available cabinet x-ray system is capable of phase-contrast radiography (PC-R) and to evaluate the effect of different system parameters on the degree of edge enhancement. An acrylic plastic edge phantom was imaged at different tube potentials (25-60 kV) and in different geometries (variable object-to-detector distances, R(2), at a constant source-to-detector distance, R(1) + R(2)). In addition, the effect of noise on the perceived edge enhancement was studied as a function of exposure time. Our results show that a modest degree of phase contrast can be achieved in an unmodified cabinet x-ray system. In addition, the particular system evaluated allowed low-noise PC-R images to be obtained with short (6 s or less) exposures. These results suggest that with appropriate geometric choices PC-R is already available to a wide range of research scientists for use in both small-animal and human-specimen experiments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA. edwin.donnelly@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Edwin F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Donnelly
authors.forename: Kenneth G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Kristy M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Wolske
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Pickens
authors.forename: Ronald R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Price
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D011859:Radiography / Q000379:methods*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013997:Time Factors; D014965:X-Rays