Dean M Connor PhD, Presenter: Stockholder, NextRay, Inc Engineering consultant, NextRay Inc.

Etta D. Pisano MD, Abstract Co-Author: Research grant, Konica Minolta Group Research grant, VuCOMP, Inc Board Member, NextRay Inc Stockholder, NextRay Inc Board Member, MiCo Inc Board Member, ZumaTek, Inc Consultant, General Electric Company Consultant, Konica Minolta Group Consultant, VuCOMP, Inc Consultant, Sectra AB Board Member, ACR Image Metrix Research grant, General Electric Company Research grant, Imaging Diagnostic Systems, Inc Research grant, Naviscan, Inc Research grant, DOBI Medical International, Inc Research grant, Sectra AB Research grant, MiCo Inc Pending research grant, ZumaTek, Inc Pending research grant, Xintek, Inc Equipment support, Hologic, Inc Equipment support, Fischer Imaging Corporation Equipment support, General Electric Company Equipment support, FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation Equipment support, Sectra AB Equipment support, Carestream Health, Inc Equipment support, iCAD, Inc

Zhong Zhong PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Stockholder, NextRay, Inc Research Consultant, NextRay, Inc

Christopher Allen Parham MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Stockholder, NextRay, Inc Research Consultant, NextRay, Inc

Waldo Hinshaw PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Contract, NextRay, Inc

Elodia Berdene Cole MS, Abstract Co-Author: Research Grant, Koning Corporation

This new DEI prototype allows for reduced imaging times. The next conventional tube-based DEI system will further reduce the required imaging time and be focused on breast imaging as the clinical application.

Diffraction enhanced imaging (DEI) is a type of phase contrast x-ray imaging with improved soft tissue contrast at a lower dose than conventional radiography. Most DEI studies have been conducted at synchrotrons. Currently, no clinical DEI system is available. The goal of this group is to develop an x-ray tube-based clinical DEI system. We have previously developed a proof-of-principle DEI prototype system, but several major improvements would be needed for a clinical DEI system. The two goals of this second generation prototype were to reduce imaging time substantially and to ensure that x-ray optics could maintain alignment when a rotating anode x-ray tube source is utilized.

A high power, rotating anode x-ray tube (Varian, G-1582BI) was integrated into a redesigned DEI system. An image intensifier (Precise Optics/PME, PVCCDCR1K) maximized the photon counting efficiency. The DEI optical system was secured to a vibration isolation optical table (TMC,781-436-02R) to mechanically isolate the optics from the rotating anode source. Phantoms and biological specimens were imaged. Image contrast consistent with existing DEI systems was seen. A series of images acquired in 1 second intervals showed the DEI system to maintain alignment within ±150 nanoradians over 20 minutes. The total imaging time was reduced to about 2 minutes.

In the development of this new system several major obstacles towards the development of a clinical DEI system were overcome. We have shown that the imaging time scales linearly with power (for a fixed peak voltage) and that the system alignment can be maintained even when a rotating anode x-ray tube source is introduced.

Connor, D, Pisano, E, Zhong, Z, Parham, C, Hinshaw, W, Cole, E, Second Generation Diffraction Enhanced Imaging Prototype: Progress towards a Clinical Imaging System.  Radiological Society of North America 2011 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 26 - December 2, 2011 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2011/11007795.html