title: Analytical and experimental determination of signal-to-noise ratio and figure of merit in three phase-contrast imaging techniques.
abstract: We present a theoretical and experimental comparison of three X-ray phase-contrast techniques: propagation-based imaging, analyzer-based imaging and grating interferometry. The signal-to-noise ratio and the figure of merit are quantitatively compared for the three techniques on the same phantoms and using the same X-ray source and detector. Principal dependencies of the signal upon the numerous acquisition parameters, the spatial resolution and X-ray energy are discussed in detail. The sensitivity of each technique, in terms of the smallest detectable phase shift, is also evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Diemoz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bravin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coan
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D007368:Interferometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D017356:Synchrotrons / Q000295:instrumentation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*