Simultaneous x-ray fluorescence and K-edge CT imaging with photon-counting detectors

Liang Li; Ruizhe Li; Siyuan Zhang; Zhiqiang Chen

doi:10.1117/12.2238528

4 October 2016 Simultaneous x-ray fluorescence and K-edge CT imaging with photon-counting detectors

Liang Li, Ruizhe Li, Siyuan Zhang, Zhiqiang Chen

Proceedings Volume 9967, Developments in X-Ray Tomography X; 99670F (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2238528
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2016, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Rapid development of the X-ray phonon-counting detection technology brings tremendous research and application opportunities. In addition to improvements in conventional X-ray imaging performance such as radiation dose utilization and beam hardening correction, photon-counting detectors allows significantly more efficient X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and K-edge imaging, and promises a great potential of X-ray functional, cellular and molecular imaging. XRF is the characteristic emission of secondary X-ray photons from a material excited by initial X-rays. The phenomenon is widely used for chemical and elemental analysis. K-edge imaging identifies a material based on its chemically-specific absorption discontinuity over X-ray photon energy. In this paper, we try to combine XRF and K-edge signals from the contrast agents (e.g., iodine, gadolinium, gold nanoparticles) to simultaneously realize XFCT and K-edge CT imaging for superior image performance. As a prerequisite for this dual-modality imaging, the accurate energy calibration of multi-energy-bin photon-counting detectors is critically important. With the measured XRF data of different materials, we characterize the energy response function of a CZT detector for energy calibration and spectrum reconstruction, which can effectively improve the energy resolution and decrease the inconsistence of the photon counting detectors. Then, a simultaneous K-edge and X-ray fluorescence CT imaging (SKYFI) experimental setup is designed which includes a cone-beam X-ray tube, two separate photon counting detector arrays, a pin-hole collimator and a rotation stage. With a phantom containing gold nanoparticles the two types of XFCT and K-edge CT datasets are collected simultaneously. Then, XFCT and K-edge CT images are synergistically reconstructed in a same framework. Simulation results are presented and quantitative analyzed and compared with the separate XFCT and K-edge CT results.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Liang Li, Ruizhe Li, Siyuan Zhang, and Zhiqiang Chen "Simultaneous x-ray fluorescence and K-edge CT imaging with photon-counting detectors", Proc. SPIE 9967, Developments in X-Ray Tomography X, 99670F (4 October 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2238528

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available