title: Spectroscopic biomedical imaging with the Medipix2 detector.
abstract: This study confirms that the Medipix2 x-ray detector enables spectroscopic bio-medical plain radiography. We show that the detector has the potential to provide new, useful information beyond the limited spectroscopic information of modem dual-energy computed tomography (CT) scanners. Full spectroscopic 3D-imaging is likely to be the next major technological advance in computed tomography, moving the modality towards molecular imaging applications. This paper focuses on the enabling technology which allows spectroscopic data collection and why this information is useful. In this preliminary study we acquired the first spectroscopic images of human tissue and other biological samples obtained using the Medipix2 detector. The images presented here include the clear resolution of the 1.4mm long distal phalanx of a 20-week-old miscarried foetus, showing clear energy-dependent variations. The opportunities for further research using the forthcoming Medipix3 detector are discussed and a prototype spectroscopic CT scanner (MARS, Medipix All Resolution System) is briefly described.
authors.affiliation: Physics and Astronomy, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Melzer
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tipples
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Butler
mesh_terms: D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014159:Transducers