X-ray luminescence computed tomography using a focused X-ray beam

TL;DR

This paper introduces a focused X-ray beam XLCT system that significantly reduces measurement time and improves imaging resolution using a polycapillary lens and a single optical fiber bundle with a PMT.

Contribution

First implementation of a focused X-ray beam XLCT system with a novel setup that enhances photon density and reduces measurement time compared to traditional collimator-based methods.

Findings

Achieved a 1200-fold increase in X-ray photon density.

Reduced measurement time to 12.5 minutes.

Successfully reconstructed targets with sub-millimeter resolution.

Abstract

Due to the low X-ray photon utilization efficiency and low measurement sensitivity of the electron multiplying charge coupled device (EMCCD) camera setup, the collimator based narrow beam X-ray luminescence computed tomography (XLCT) usually requires a long measurement time. In this paper, we, for the first time, report a focused X-ray beam based XLCT imaging system with measurements by a single optical fiber bundle and a photomultiplier tube (PMT). An X-ray tube with a polycapillary lens was used to generate a focused X-ray beam whose X-ray photon density is 1200 times larger than a collimated X-ray beam. An optical fiber bundle was employed to collect and deliver the emitted photons on the phantom surface to the PMT. The total measurement time was reduced to 12.5 minutes. For numerical simulations of both single and six fiber bundle cases, we were able to reconstruct six targets successfully. For the phantom experiment, two targets with an edge-to-edge distance of 0.4 mm and a center-to-center distance of 0.8 mm were successfully reconstructed by the measurement setup with a single fiber bundle and a PMT.