Exploring Phase Imaging with X-rays to Yield Fast, Multi-Contrast Imaging for Non-invasive Medical and Industrial Applications

For over a century since the discovery of X-rays, the mechanism of contrast generation in medical and industrial applications have relied on exploring attenuation contrast based on particle nature of light. There has been interest in novel imaging systems that use wave nature of X-rays to develop new contrast mechanism. Due to the very small wavelength of X-rays, the technical hurdles in achieving these with a low coherent X-ray source in a laboratory setup has prevented the tranlastion of these methods. In this work, we will rpesent some of our new results that shows simultaneous extraction of X-ray phase imaging (based on properties like refraction), dark-field imaging (due to ultra-small angle X-ray scatter) and attenuation (reduction on photon counts due to absorption) all extracted from a single exposure of X-rays on a planar detector when using a single X-ray mask in the beam path. We will also show the benefits of using spectral detection methods using single photon-counting detectors in these novel designs. The methods rely on novel light-transport equations and our patent pending design for the system. We will show results of quantitaive accuracies and extension of tehse methdos to computed tomography. These methdos have applications in materials imaging, chemical, medical and defense /security applicattions.