title: Dark-Field Imaging: Recent developments and potential clinical applications.
abstract: This paper describes an X-ray phase contrast imaging technique using analyzer-based optics called X-ray Dark-Field Imaging that has been under development for the past 10years. We describe the theory behind XDFI, the X-ray optics required for implementing it in practice, and algorithms used for 2D, 2.5D, and 3D image reconstruction. The XDFI optical chain consists of an asymmetrically cut, Bragg-type monochromator-collimator that provides a planar monochromatic X-ray beam, a positioning stage for the specimens, a Laue-case angle analyzer, and one or two cameras to capture the dark and bright field images. We demonstrate the soft-tissue discrimination capabilities of XDFI by reconstructing images with absorption and phase contrast. By using a variety of specimens such as breast tissue with cancer, joints with articular cartilage, ex-vivo human eye specimen, and others, we show that refraction-based contrast derived from XDFI is more effective in characterizing anatomical features, articular pathology, and neoplastic disease than conventional absorption-based images. For example, XDFI of breast tissue can discriminate between the normal and diseased terminal duct lobular unit, and between invasive and in-situ cancer. The final section of this paper is devoted to potential future developments to enable clinical and histo-pathological applications of this technique.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Science and Engineering, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan. Electronic address: msm-ando@rs.noda.tus.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Engineering, Gunma University, Kiryu, Gunma 376-8515, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sunaguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Technology, Hokkaido University of Science, Sapporo, Hokkaido 006-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shimao
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Grduate School of Engineering and Science, Yamagata University, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yuasa
authors.affiliation: Department of Media Science, Graduate School of Information Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan.
authors.forename: Kensaku
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu 804-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu 804-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering and Radiology, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu 705-034, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Ki
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Industrial Technology Convergence Center, Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 790-834, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering and Radiology, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu 705-034, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center, Department of Pathology, Nagoya Medical Center, Nagoya 460-0001, Japan.
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ichihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Kyorin University Hospital, Shinkawa 6-20-2, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-0013, Japan.
authors.forename: Norihiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohura
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003624:Darkness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008327:Mammography; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Artery damage; Articular cartilage; Breast cancer; High contrast; High spatial resolution; Human soft tissue; Laue angle analyzer; Medical imaging; Monochromator; Phase contrast; Refraction contrast; Synchrotron radiation; X-ray dynamical diffraction