title: Single-image phase retrieval using an edge illumination X-ray phase-contrast imaging setup.
abstract: A method is proposed which enables the retrieval of the thickness or of the projected electron density of a sample from a single input image acquired with an edge illumination phase-contrast imaging setup. The method assumes the case of a quasi-homogeneous sample, i.e. a sample with a constant ratio between the real and imaginary parts of its complex refractive index. Compared with current methods based on combining two edge illumination images acquired in different configurations of the setup, this new approach presents advantages in terms of simplicity of acquisition procedure and shorter data collection time, which are very important especially for applications such as computed tomography and dynamical imaging. Furthermore, the fact that phase information is directly extracted, instead of its derivative, can enable a simpler image interpretation and be beneficial for subsequent processing such as segmentation. The method is first theoretically derived and its conditions of applicability defined. Quantitative accuracy in the case of homogeneous objects as well as enhanced image quality for the imaging of complex biological samples are demonstrated through experiments at two synchrotron radiation facilities. The large range of applicability, the robustness against noise and the need for only one input image suggest a high potential for investigations in various research subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London WC1 E6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Paul C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Diemoz
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London WC1 E6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Fabio A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Vittoria
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London WC1 E6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Charlotte K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London WC1 E6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Endrizzi
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich 81377, Germany.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Garching 85748, Germany.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.affiliation: Diamond Light Source, Harwell Oxford Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK.
authors.forename: Ulrich H
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Diamond Light Source, Harwell Oxford Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rau
authors.affiliation: Research Complex at Harwell, Oxford Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK.
authors.forename: Ian K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble 38043, France.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bravin
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London WC1 E6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olivo
keywords: X-ray imaging; image formation theory; phase retrieval; phase-contrast imaging