High-resolution visualization of tumours in rabbit lung using refraction contrast X-ray imaging

Eur J Radiol. 2008 Dec;68(3 Suppl):S54-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2008.04.030. Epub 2008 Jun 30.

Abstract

Contrast enhancement by refraction was used to visualize tumours in the rabbit lung. VX2 tumour cells were intravenously injected into a rabbit. After 14 days the rabbit was euthanized and the lungs were imaged. Refraction-enhanced X-ray images were obtained with a sample-to-detector distance of 2.65-6m. The beamline BL20B2 at the SPring-8 synchrotron radiation facility was used for the experiment, with a monochromatic X-ray beam with an energy of 33.2 keV. In the case of projection images, it was found that refraction did not help visualization of small tumours: the nodules did not show up with sharply defined edges. In tomography, tumours with a size of 1-10mm were clearly visualized, together with blood vessels with a diameter down to 0.4mm. These results show that refraction-enhanced imaging may be useful in human lung tomography to find small tumours.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Animals
  • Female
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / methods
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Rabbits
  • Radiographic Image Enhancement / methods
  • Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Refractometry / methods*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tomography, X-Ray / methods*