Improvement of the spatial resolution of phase-contrast CT

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K04077
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 21030:Measurement engineering-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Sunaguchi Naoki 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科(保健), 准教授 (60536481)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: X線CT / 屈折コントラスト / 生体マイクロアナトミー / X線暗視野法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A new high spatial resolution phase-contrast imaging method (SWIDeX: Superimposed wavefront imaging of diffraction-enhanced X-rays) was proposed to visualize the distribution of cell nuclei in a tissue sample in three dimensions. CT imaging system based on this imaging method was developed and constructed at the Photon Factory BL14B beamline of the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK). Using this system, imaging experiments of physical phantoms and biological tissues including tumors were performed to evaluate the spatial resolution and imaging performance.

Free Research Field

医用画像工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

この撮像方式により、病理学分野では３次元で差異がある乳癌の篩状構造と良性の乳管過形成の診断精度を向上できる可能性がある。また、非浸潤癌が浸潤癌に切り替わる様子の可視化にも期待できる。他分野への波及効果では、例えばリチウム固体電池の性能劣化で課題となっていた電解質にリチウムが析出する様子を可視化でき、新しい電池の技術開発に貢献できる可能性を持つ。