title: Use of synchrotron-based diffraction-enhanced imaging for visualization of soft tissues in invertebrates.
abstract: Images of terrestrial and marine invertebrates (snails and bivalves) have been obtained by using an X-ray phase-contrast imaging technique, namely, synchrotron-based diffraction-enhanced imaging. Synchrotron X-rays of 20, 30 and 40keV were used, which penetrate deep enough into animal soft tissues. The phase of X-ray photons shifts slightly as they traverse an object, such as animal soft tissue, and interact with its atoms. Biological features, such as shell morphology and animal physiology, have been visualized. The contrast of the images obtained at 40keV is the best. This optimum energy provided a clear view of the internal structural organization of the soft tissue with better contrast. The contrast is higher at edges of internal soft-tissue structures. The image improvements achieved with the diffraction-enhanced imaging technique are due to extinction, i.e., elimination of ultra-small-angle scattering. They enabled us to identify a few embedded internal shell features, such as the origin of the apex, which is the firmly attached region of the soft tissue connecting the umbilicus to the external morphology. Diffraction-enhanced imaging can provide high-quality images of soft tissues valuable for biology.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Matematica e Fisica, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Via Vienna 2, Sassari, Italy. donepudi_venkateswararao@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Donepudi V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Medasani
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Swapna
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cesareo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brunetti
authors.forename: Zhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akatsuka
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yuasa
authors.forename: Tohoru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Giovanni E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Gigante
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012908:Snails; D017356:Synchrotrons / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction / Q000295:instrumentation*