Fast unified reconstruction algorithm for conventional, phase-contrast and diffraction tomography

TL;DR

This paper introduces a fast, unified 3D reconstruction algorithm applicable to various imaging modalities like absorption, phase-contrast, and diffraction tomography, accommodating multiple physical effects and enabling efficient computation.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel unified reconstruction algorithm that integrates phase retrieval and Ewald sphere effects, applicable across different imaging techniques and compatible with various scanning geometries.

Findings

Algorithm is fast and computationally efficient.

Validated on simulated and experimental data.

Software implementation is publicly available.

Abstract

A unified method for three-dimensional reconstruction of objects from transmission images collected at multiple illumination directions is described. The method may be applicable to experimental conditions relevant to absorption-based, phase-contrast or diffraction imaging using X-rays, electrons and other forms of penetrating radiation or matter waves. Both the phase retrieval (also known as contrast transfer function correction) and the effect of Ewald sphere curvature (in the cases with a shallow depth of field and significant in-object diffraction) are incorporated in the proposed algorithm and can be taken into account. Multiple scattering is not treated explicitly, but can be mitigated as a result of angular averaging that constitutes an essential feature of the method. The corresponding numerical algorithm is based on three-dimensional gridding which allows for fast computational implementation, including a straightforward parallelization. The algorithm can be used with any scanning geometry involving plane-wave illumination. A software code implementing the proposed algorithm has been developed, tested on simulated and experimental image data and made publicly available.