TY - JOUR
T1 - Imaging characteristics of intravascular spherical contrast agents for grating-based x-ray dark-field imaging – effects of concentrations, spherical sizes and applied voltage
AU - Notohamiprodjo, Susan
AU - Treitl, Karla Maria
AU - Hauke, Christian
AU - Sutter, Sven Martin
AU - Auweter, Sigrid
AU - Pfeiffer, Franz
AU - Reiser, Maximilian Ferdinand
AU - Hellbach, Katharina
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, The Author(s).
PY - 2020/12/1
Y1 - 2020/12/1
N2 - This study investigates the x-ray scattering characteristics of microsphere particles in x-ray-grating-based interferometric imaging at different concentrations, bubble sizes and tube voltages (kV). Attenuation (ATI), dark-field (DFI) and phase-contrast (PCI) images were acquired. Signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios with water (CNRw) and air as reference (CNRa) were determined. In all modalities, a linear relationship between SNR and microbubbles concentration, respectively, microsphere size was found. A significant gain of SNR was found when varying kV. SNR was significantly higher in DFI and PCI than ATI. The highest gain of SNR was shown at 60 kV for all media in ATI and DFI, at 80 kV for PCI. SNR for all media was significantly higher compared to air and was slightly lower compared to water. A linear relationship was found between CNRa, CNRw, concentration and size. With increasing concentration and decreasing size, CNRa and CNRw increased in DFI, but decreased in PCI. Best CNRa and CNRw was found at specific combination of kV and concentration/size. Highest average CNRa and CNRw was found for microspheres in ATI and PCI, for microbubbles in DFI. Microspheres are a promising contrast-media for grating-based-interferometry, if kV, microsphere size and concentration are appropriately combined.
AB - This study investigates the x-ray scattering characteristics of microsphere particles in x-ray-grating-based interferometric imaging at different concentrations, bubble sizes and tube voltages (kV). Attenuation (ATI), dark-field (DFI) and phase-contrast (PCI) images were acquired. Signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios with water (CNRw) and air as reference (CNRa) were determined. In all modalities, a linear relationship between SNR and microbubbles concentration, respectively, microsphere size was found. A significant gain of SNR was found when varying kV. SNR was significantly higher in DFI and PCI than ATI. The highest gain of SNR was shown at 60 kV for all media in ATI and DFI, at 80 kV for PCI. SNR for all media was significantly higher compared to air and was slightly lower compared to water. A linear relationship was found between CNRa, CNRw, concentration and size. With increasing concentration and decreasing size, CNRa and CNRw increased in DFI, but decreased in PCI. Best CNRa and CNRw was found at specific combination of kV and concentration/size. Highest average CNRa and CNRw was found for microspheres in ATI and PCI, for microbubbles in DFI. Microspheres are a promising contrast-media for grating-based-interferometry, if kV, microsphere size and concentration are appropriately combined.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85086326147&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41598-020-66395-x
DO - 10.1038/s41598-020-66395-x
M3 - Article
C2 - 32523085
AN - SCOPUS:85086326147
VL - 10
JO - Scientific Reports
JF - Scientific Reports
IS - 1
M1 - 9405
ER -