Laser-wakefield accelerators as hard x-ray sources for 3D medical imaging of human bone.
A bright μm-sized source of hard synchrotron x-rays (critical energy Ecrit > 30 keV) based on the betatron oscillations of laser wakefield accelerated electrons has been developed. The potential of this source for medical imaging was demonstrated by performing micro-computed tomography of a human femoral trabecular bone sample, allowing full 3D reconstruction to a resolution below 50 μm. The use of a 1 cm long wakefield accelerator means that the length of the beamline (excluding the laser) is dominated by the x-ray imaging distances rather than the electron acceleration distances. The source possesses high peak brightness, which allows each image to be recorded with a single exposure and reduces the time required for a full tomographic scan. These properties make this an interesting laboratory source for many tomographic imaging applications.
The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BZ, UK.
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Cole
The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BZ, UK.
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Wood
1] The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BZ, UK [2] GoLP, Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001, Portugal.
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Lopes
The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BZ, UK.
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Poder
Department of Surgery and Cancer, MSk Laboratory, Charing Cross Hospital, Imperial College London, London W6 8RF, UK.
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Abel
The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BZ, UK.
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Alatabi
The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BZ, UK.
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Bryant
Department of Mechanical Engineering, City and Guilds Building, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
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Jin
The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BZ, UK.
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Kneip
The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BZ, UK.
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Mecseki
Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK.
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Symes
The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BZ, UK.
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Mangles
The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BZ, UK.
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Najmudin
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000295:instrumentation; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007834:Lasers; D010315:Particle Accelerators / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation*