Phase-Contrast Hounsfield Units of Fixated and Non-Fixated Soft-Tissue Samples

X-ray phase-contrast imaging is a novel technology that achieves high soft-tissue contrast. Although its clinical impact is still under investigation, the technique may potentially improve clinical diagnostics. In conventional attenuation-based X-ray computed tomography, radiological diagnostics are...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2015-08, Vol.10 (8), p.e0137016-e0137016
Main Authors: Willner, Marian, Fior, Gabriel, Marschner, Mathias, Birnbacher, Lorenz, Schock, Jonathan, Braun, Christian, Fingerle, Alexander A, Noël, Peter B, Rummeny, Ernst J, Pfeiffer, Franz, Herzen, Julia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
adipose tissue
Anode effect
Attenuation
computed axial tomography
Computed tomography
Connective Tissue - physiology
Connective tissues
Contrast media
Diagnostic imaging
electron density
Engineering
formaldehyde
formalin fixation
Humans
Imaging
Interferometry
Kidney - physiology
kidneys
Laboratories
Liver
Liver - physiology
Medical examination
Medical imaging
Methods
Microscopy, Phase-Contrast - methods
muscle tissue
Muscles
Muscles - physiology
Pancreas
Pancreas - physiology
Photons
Physics
RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
Sensors
Skin
Soft tissues
Tissues
Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods
X ray tubes
X-Ray Diffraction - methods
X-ray radiography
X-rays
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Summary:X-ray phase-contrast imaging is a novel technology that achieves high soft-tissue contrast. Although its clinical impact is still under investigation, the technique may potentially improve clinical diagnostics. In conventional attenuation-based X-ray computed tomography, radiological diagnostics are quantified by Hounsfield units. Corresponding Hounsfield units for phase-contrast imaging have been recently introduced, enabling a setup-independent comparison and standardized interpretation of imaging results. Thus far, the experimental values of few tissue types have been reported; these values have been determined from fixated tissue samples. This study presents phase-contrast Hounsfield units for various types of non-fixated human soft tissues. A large variety of tissue specimens ranging from adipose, muscle and connective tissues to liver, kidney and pancreas tissues were imaged by a grating interferometer with a rotating-anode X-ray tube and a photon-counting detector. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of formalin fixation on the quantitative phase-contrast imaging results.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0137016