The field of the invention is X-ray sources and corresponding imaging methods and systems. More particularly, the invention relates to an X-ray source for use in Phase Contrast Imaging (PCI).
Conventional X-ray systems generate images by assessing the difference in absorption of X-rays. Because currently conventional X-ray imaging techniques, such as computed tomography (CT), have attenuation parameters that are very similar to those of soft tissue, these systems cannot adequately differentiate soft tissue types, such as the soft tissue components of the plaque, including fibrous cap and atheroma. Similarly,. conventional CT is not effective to distinguish tumor and surrounding healthy tissues.
To overcome these limitations, phase contrast imaging (PCI) methods have been developed. PCI methods rely on the difference in the refractive index of the imaged material which causes a phase shift, resulting in increased imaging contrast. This change in contrast mechanism can produce 1000-fold improvement in contrast-to-noise ratio when imaging soft tissues, and is particularly effective when imaging weakly absorbing samples such as soft tissues.
Although PCI provides significant improvements, in order to achieve an appreciable phase contrast effect which enables visualization of low-Z materials, PCI methods require a spectrally narrow X-ray source with a high degree of spatial coherence, and that is also preferably tunable. In particular, a X-ray source producing a bean having a small focal spot size, typically less than five micrometers, is desirable.
Currently, however, there are significant challenges to achieving a sufficiently small focal spot for PCI applications. Although there is a large body of literature in X-ray sources that can be brought to bear on the challenge proposed by PCI, PCI has only been shown to be feasible using mono-energetic coherent sources such as beam lines from synchrotrons.
It is also desirable, however, that the X-ray source be compact, portable, and operable from a power supply such as a battery or an auxiliary power unit (APU), and synchrotrons do not meet this goal. Although systems have been proposed to reduce the size of the apparatus required for generating coherent X-ray photons (e.g., by Inverse Compton Scattering). Miniaturized synchrotron radiation sources using a radio frequency linear particle accelerator (RF LINAC), and electro-cyclotrons on a chip have also been proposed. Because of their large size, and low interaction cross-section between the particles involved (typically, relativistic electrons and laser photons), even these so called “compact sources,” do not meet the size or energy efficiency criteria desirable for PCI.
The present disclosure addresses these and other issues.
The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior methods by providing an x-ray source that is portable, and provides programmable patterns of x-ray sources that can be used in PCI imaging.
In one aspect the present invention provides an x-ray source comprising an array of field emission cathodes, a transmission-type anode, and an acceleration cavity positioned between the array of cathodes and the anode. A controller is coupled to each of the array of cathodes, the controller programmed to selectively activate the cathodes in the array of cathodes to produce an electron beam from each selected cathode, the electron beam being accelerated through the acceleration cavity by an applied voltage and impinging on the anode to produce an X-ray beam.
In another aspect, the X-ray source can include a housing enclosing the cathode, the anode, and the accelerator cavity. A battery can be provided for powering the device. The X-ray source can also include an electrode stack positioned between the cathode and the anode for focusing the beam.
In another aspect, the field emission cathodes can also each include a tip having a diameter less than twenty nanometers. Each emitter in the array of field emission cathodes can also include an inner electrode that extracts current and an outer electrode that collimates the beam produced by the cathode. The electron beam produced by a cathode in the cathode array impinges on a portion of the anode can be is less than 5 micrometers in diameter.
In another aspect of the invention, each emitter in the array of field emission cathodes is individually controlled by a vertical non-gated field effect transistor that controls each emitter's Current. The anode can be poly-metallic, and can be constructed of at least one of a Tungsten (W), copper (Cu), and Molybdenum material. The anode materials can be in a matrix.
In still another aspect of the invention, the X-ray source can include a heat sink for cooling the anode. The heat sink can be constructed of beryllium (Be) construction, and can be etched to include a plurality of channels.
In another aspect of the invention, cathode array for use in producing an X-ray beam is provided. The cathode array comprises a plurality of emitters, each controlled by an ungated field-effect transistor. Each emitter includes an inner extractor electrode corresponding for extracting current; and an outer focusing electrode for collimating an electron beam produced by the emitter.
In yet another aspect of the invention, an anode for use in an x-ray source is provided. The anode plate comprises at least one of a tungsten, copper, and Molybdenum material, and a heat sink comprised of a beryllium sheet coupled to the anode plate. The beryllium sheet is etched to include a channeled cooling structure. The anode plate can be a poly-metallic plate comprising two or more of a tungsten (W), copper (Cu), and Molybdenum (Mo) material, and can comprise a two-dimensional matrix, each segment of the matrix comprising an X-ray generating material, or a poly-metallic segment comprising two or more layers of a tungsten (W), copper (Cu), and Molybdenum (Mo) material. The channels are photochemically etched into the beryllium sheet.
These and other aspects will become apparent from the following description. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention. Such embodiment does not necessarily represent the full scope of the invention and reference is made therefore, to the claims herein for interpreting the scope of the invention.
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The X-ray source 10 is preferably portable, and the components shown and described above can be located in a system housing with corresponding cables (not shown) to enable transportation of the device. The housing can enclose the cathode 12, acceleration cavity 14, anode 18, power cables, and cooling superstructure 42 discussed below. In the housing, the vacuum cavity 14 separates the cathode 12 from the anode 18, and can also house the lens 16 which focuses the electrodes.
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Each Xel 26 can be composed of a plurality or small cluster of gated field emitters, resulting in a redundancy that increases Xel reliability. Each emitter includes two proximal self-aligned electrodes, including an inner extractor electrode 30 that achieves electron extraction at low voltage (mA-level current at ˜100V), and an outer collimator electrode 32 that collimates the Xel beam. Each Xel 26 produces a high-current electron beam 17 and has an electrode stack that focuses the Xel beam onto a small (<5 μm) spot size at the anode 18. Each emitter is individually controlled by a vertical non-gated field effect transistor (FET) 34 that individually controls each emitter's current, equalizes the current across the cathode 12, and limits the maximum current per emitter to avoid emitter burn-out (
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The micro-channel cooling system is preferably constructed to be capable of removing the waste heat flux of up to 100 Watts per cubic centimeter while maintaining the anode at less than 45° C. It has been shown experimentally that forced air cooling is typically adequate in PCI medical imaging applications where power dissipation is relatively low because of increase in the signal-to-noise and contrast-to noise ratios as compared to traditional imaging techniques. However, chilled fluids, such as water, may also be used, particularly for higher power applications such as pure attenuation-based imaging and for non-destructive evaluation.
As described above, the X-ray source 10 preferably includes a controller adapted to activate and deactivate individual electron guns in the cathode array 12. The controller enables multiplexed, programmable firing of the Xels 26 and enables use of the X-ray source 10 in coded source imaging for use in PCI. Although a dedicated controller can be located within the housing described above, in some applications the control circuitry can be provided by off-the-shelf electronics and system controllers such as the A500 and B10 from Pyramid Technological Consulting, Inc, Waltham, Mass.
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In operation, the controller in the portable X-ray source 10 selectively activates each Xel 26 in the cathode ray 12 to produce a beam of electrons 17 which are accelerated through the acceleration cavity 14 to impinge on the transmission type anode 18 with a focal spot size ranging from sub-micron to about 5 micrometers. Phase contrast imaging can be provided using coded-source or coded aperture imaging techniques. As described above, PCI increases tissue contrast, reduces dose and requires a less powerful X-ray source so as to achieve comparable or better image quality, thus forming the basis for low-powered, fieldable imaging systems.
The cathode array 12 provides discrete sources that are arranged geometrically and that can act as “coded sources.” These coded sources can be used to generate images which exhibit phase contrast. In particular, or X-ray imaging, phase contrast approaches based on (spatially) coherent X-ray sources can be used to form images which are based on refraction rather than absorption contrast if source sizes are 5 μm or less.
Using the X-ray source 10 described above, imaging of a sample can be performed using multiple simultaneous coherent X-ray sources produced individually by the cathode array 12 described above. The X-ray sources can be activated by the controller in a predetermined encoded pattern to provide a “coded source.” Because of the large number of sources, X-ray power is spread over many anodes and thus limitations on power due to material properties are significantly reduced as compared to prior art systems. The small source size also permits spatially coherent image formation. While coded images produced by the different sources are not mutually coherent, their detector radiances can be summed, with each of the contributions sensitive to phase variations resulting from differences in refractive index.
It should be apparent that many variations from the above preferred embodiment are possible without departing from the invention. To apprise the public of the scope of the invention, the following claims are made:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/646,577 filed on May 14, 2012, and entitled “Distributed, Field Emission-based X-ray Source for Phase Contrast Imaging,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
This invention was made with government support under N666001-11-4204 awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The government has certain rights in the invention.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2013/031553 | 3/14/2013 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61646577 | May 2012 | US |