评价衍射增强成像空间分辨率的方法

衍射增强成像是X射线成像领域的前沿科技。相比于传统的吸收成像,衍射增强成像能大幅提高图像的衬度,尤其是对于由C、H、O、N等低原子序数元素构成的物体,这一特性使得衍射增强成像在医学诊断方面具有突出的应用价值。目前还没有系统评价衍射增强成像空间分辨率的方法。本文通过构建成像系统的调制传递函数模型,推导出衍射增强成像的空间分辨率计算公式,从而对衍射增强实验平台的整体性能进行综合评价。调制传递函数综合考虑了摇摆曲线几何、CCD像素尺寸、闪烁体荧光弥散效应对系统空间分辨率的固有影响,并详细分析了系统调制传递函数各因素对空间分辨率的影响规律,为衍射增强实验平台的物理设计及设备选型提供理论依据。     

Image quality evaluation of linear plastic scintillating fiber array detector for X-ray imaging

It is important to assess image quality, in order to ensure that the imaging system is performing optimally and also identify the weak points in an imaging system. Three parameters mostly leading to image degradation are contrast, spatial resolution and noise. There is always a trade-off between spatial resolution and signal to noise ratio,but in scintillating fiber array detectors spatial resolution is not as important as signal to noise ratio, so we paid more attention to contrast and SNR of the system. By using GEANT4 Monte Carlo detector simulation toolkit, some effective parameters of the linear plastic scintillating fiber（PSF）array as an imaging detector were investigated. Finally we show that it is possible to use this kind of detector to take CT and DR (Digital Radiography) image under certain conditions.     

多平行束准直器模拟研究

在平行束准直器中引用多通道技术设计了三通道的多平行束（Multi-parallel Beam,MPB）准直器。计算机模拟表明,MPB准直器在保持较高的空间分辨率下,有效地改善了系统的灵敏度。放射药物匀均分布的圆柱数字模具和Jaszczak数字模具（phantom）模拟表明,随重叠比例的增加,未出现重建环状伪影;虽然靠近准直器表面空间分辨率有所下降,但在FOV（Field of View）中心区域空间分辨率近似等同于平行束准直器,重建图像的匀均度有了改善。投影数据的重叠表明,MPB的投影有放大作用。该研究为高成像质量的临床SPECT成像提供一种新的准直器设计方法。     

Imaging performance evaluation in depth-of-interaction PET with a new method of sinogram generation:A Monte Carlo simulation study

In conventional PET systems,the parallax error degrades image resolution and causes image distortion.To remedy this,a PET ring diameter has to be much larger than the required size of field of view(FOV),and therefore the cost goes up.Measurement of depth-of-interaction(DOI)information is effective to reduce the parallax error and improve the image quality.This study is aimed at developing a practical method to incorporate DOI information in PET sinogram generation and image reconstruction processes and evaluate its efficacy through Monte Carlo simulation.An animal PET system with 30-mm long LSO crystals and 2-mm DOI measurement accuracy was simulated and list-mode PET data were collected.A sinogram generation method was proposed to bin each coincidence event to the correct LOR location according to both incident crystal indices and DOI positions of the two annihilation photons.The sinograms were reconstructed with an iterative OSMAPEM(ordered subset maximum a posteriori expectation maximization)algorithm.Two phantoms(a rod source phantom and a Derenzo phantom)were simulated,and the benefits of DOI were investigated in terms of reconstructed source diameter(FWHM)and source positioning accuracy.The results demonstrate that the proposed method works well to incorporate DOI information in data processing,which not only overcomes the image distortion problem but also significantly improves image resolution and resolution uniformity and results in satisfactory image quality.     

高分辨率CCD辐射探测器串扰校正

近年来出现的新型闪烁体与科学级CCD图像传感器耦合的高分辨辐射探测器,对提高Micro-CT等高分辨成像系统的空间分辨率、信噪比、图像质量等有重要意义,具有广泛的应用前景。但新型闪烁体如Gd₃Al₂Ga₃O₁₂等发光传输的各向同性特性,给μm尺寸的CCD像元带来了严重的串扰噪声,导致辐射探测器系统空间分辨率的实际值与理论值相差甚远。本文理论分析了高分辨率CCD辐射探测器串扰产生的物理机理,提出了利用蒙特卡罗EGSnrc仿真和Zemax光学仿真工具理论计算探测器系统像元间的串扰率函数（CTF）,再以CTF为卷积核,通过Lucy-Richardson反卷积运算对实际投影数据进行串扰校正,用双丝型像质计进行验证实验。实验结果表明,本方法可有效校正探测器串扰噪声,对改善探测器系统的调制传递函数和提高空间分辨率等有明显的效果。     

X-ray CCD相机在杆箍缩二极管X射线焦斑诊断中的应用

针孔成像法是诊断杆箍缩二极管X射线焦斑的常用方法。本文建立基于增感屏、光锥耦合、CCD相机的X-ray CCD相机系统,取代针孔成像法中基于闪烁体、物镜、CCD相机的图像获取系统,提高了诊断系统的紧凑性。对所建立的X-ray CCD相机系统的空间分辨能力进行了测试,系统的空间分辨能力受增感屏限制,使用铅制分辨卡测得系统的空间分辨率为5lp/mm,使用刀口法测得调制传递函数为0.5时的频率为1.5lp/mm。测试结果表明,在针孔成像倍率为0.5时,可满足1.5 mm左右的X射线焦斑诊断的需要。并开展了杆箍缩二极管侧面焦斑诊断实验,获得了侧面焦斑图像,且进行了图像复原处理。     

脑专用PET显像探测器自由结构符合与初步实验测试

采用脑PET进行人脑功能的研究对生物医学起到至关重要的作用,为了显著提高脑PET显像质量,增加探测效率、实时显示图像,本文设计一种脑专用PET显像大面积平板型探测系统,该探测系统由两个大面积探头组成,每个大面积探头包含3×3阵列的位置灵敏光电倍增管和多个紧密排布的硅酸钇镥闪烁晶体（Ce：LYSO)阵列。并利用1 μCi的²²Na点源对晶格大小为0.7 mm×0.7 mm等六种LYSO晶体阵列进行晶体性能测试,并选用两块晶格大小为1.5 mm×1.5 mm的LYSO晶体阵列进行一对一符合探测初步断层显像。结果显示,各种晶格大小的LYSO晶体阵列的位置区分轮廓的半高宽平均值在0.38~0.49 mm之间,平均能量分辨率（半高宽）在17.61%~30.40%之间;在对²²Na点源的初步图像断层扫描实验测试中,通过滤波反投影算法获得重建图像的空间分辨率为1.5 mm,验证了大面积平板型探测系统的可行性。     

基于LaBr3(Ce)晶体耦合SiPM阵列的可变角分辨率伽玛相机的设计与研制

编码孔径成像技术由于探测效率高、信噪比高、角分辨率好、成像质量稳定可靠等优点而广泛应用于核安全、核设施的去污及退役的测量、核医学等领域。建立通过改变编码准直器和探测器之间距离进而实现可变角分辨的伽玛成像系统。整个成像系统主要由编码准直器、位置灵敏探测(position sensitive detector, PSD)、数据采集卡以及图像重建系统组成。该成像系统的编码准直器采用修正均匀冗余阵列(modified uniformly redundant array, MURA)编码方式,为了保障对较高能量射线的探测能力,编码准直器的材料采用含钨量90%的钨铜合金,PSD通过LaBr₃(Ce)晶体耦合SiPM阵列组成,重建算法采用的是直接互卷积算法,快速高效。测试结果显示,整个位置灵敏探测器的平均能量分辨率为4.96%(662 keV);该辐射成像系统可以准确地对Am-241、Cs-137、Co-60进行清晰成像,并通过改变编码准直器和探测器之间的距离成功分辨出两个Cs-137点源的位置。     

数字化线阵CCD扫描X射线成像系统

介绍了一种数字化线阵CCD扫描X射线成像系统的原理性样机,其主要特点是用窄束X射线成像,从系统结构上抑制了散射对成像的影响,在满足图像质量的情况下降低了成像所需的X射线剂量.介绍了系统设计的理论基础,讨论了系统的软、硬件组成,并测量了系统的成像性能.     

PET图像中球形病灶的部分容积效应及其影响因素

依据形成部分容积效应的理论,由计算机模拟球形病灶（直径2～30 mm）位于各种背景（背景与病灶强度之比为0～0.7）中时,PET设备（分辨率3～15 mm）的成像实验。计算模拟图像中病灶的像素最大值、平均值及半高宽,由此探讨球形病灶PET成像的部分容积效应与相关影响因素间的关系,为进一步建立部分容积效应校正方法提供依据。结果表明：对于任一分辨率和背景强度,图像上病灶信号强度的最大值及平均值随病灶直径的增大而呈S形增加;对于任一病灶直径和背景强度,病灶强度的最大值及平均值随分辨率的增大而呈倒S形减小;对于任一病灶直径和分辨率,病灶强度的最大值及平均值随背景强度线性增加,以背景为基点时,高出背景的病灶强度（最大值、平均值）与相应病灶真值之比不随背景强度变化;对任一病灶直径和分辨率,病灶半高宽不随背景强度变化;当病灶直径大于分辨率时,病灶半高宽与其真实直径很接近,但随分辨率变差,其接近程度也变差;当病灶直径小于分辨率时,病灶半高宽基本不再随直径变小而变小,而是基本等于空间分辨率,并保持不变。     

Soft X-ray Imaging using a Neon Filled Plasma Focus X-ray Source

A 3 kJ Mather-type UNU/ICTP plasma focus device with neon filling is used, for the first time, as a soft X-ray source for imaging of thin biological samples including insects. A charge-coupled-device (CCD) based pinhole projection system, placed in a differentially pumped chamber, is used for radiography using neon soft X-rays. The image brightness, contrast and resolution have been optimized by varying soft X-ray yield, pinhole size, camera chamber length and X-ray filters. The system can simply be modified for table-top soft X-ray microscopy of thin biological samples.     

基于模拟点源测量的多针孔SPECT精确迭代重建

高分辨率单光子发射计算机断层成像（SPECT）是临床和小动物影像的重要技术之一。对SPECT的系统传输矩阵进行建模,并结合于迭代重建算法中,是提高系统空间分辨率的有效手段。本文基于实验室自主研发的多针孔小动物SPECT系统,研究了一种蒙特卡罗模拟和解析模型相结合的系统传输矩阵精确计算方法。该方法是基于多点源模拟的投影数据,结合数据再估计方法和高斯拟合方法提取点扩展函数（PSF）特征参数,并结合解析形式的系统物理模型,从而计算任意位置的精确PSF。通过对四点源模拟投影数据分别用纯解析方法和蒙特卡罗模拟与解析模型相结合的方法进行计算,并对所得的系统传输矩阵进行重建对比,验证了蒙特卡罗模拟与解析模型相结合方法对图像分辨率的改善效果。进一步比较了不同点源排列的重建效果,获得了优化的点源排布方案。相对于基于实验方法测量系统传输矩阵,本方法能以更合理的代价实现系统传输矩阵的精确建模,并能有效提高系统空间分辨率。     

Phantom experiments on a PSAPD-based compact gamma camera with submillimeter spatial resolution for small animal SPECT

We demonstrate a position sensitive avalanche photodiode (PSAPD) based compact gamma camera for the application of small animal single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The silicon PSAPD with a two-dimensional resistive layer and four readout channels is implemented as a gamma ray detector to record the energy and position of radiation events from a radionuclide source. A 2 mm thick monolithic CsI:Tl scintillator is optically coupled to a PSAPD with a 8mm×8mm active area, providing submillimeter intrinsic spatial resolution, high energy resolution (16% full-width half maximum at 140 keV) and high gain. A mouse heart phantom filled with an aqueous solution of 370 MBq (99m)Tc-pertechnetate (140 keV) was imaged using the PSAPD detector module and a tungsten knife-edge pinhole collimator with a 0.5 mm diameter aperture. The PSAPD detector module was cooled with cold nitrogen gas to suppress dark current shot noise. For each projection image of the mouse heart phantom, a rotated diagonal readout algorithm was used to calculate the position of radiation events and correct for pincushion distortion. The reconstructed image of the mouse heart phantom demonstrated reproducible image quality with submillimeter spatial resolution (0.7 mm), showing the feasibility of using the compact PSAPD-based gamma camera for a small animal SPECT system.     

A TDC-Based System for X-Ray Imaging Detectors

An image acquisition system is presented for use with position sensitive detectors (PSD). The system is based on a high-resolution time-to-digital converter (TDC) and a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The detectors use gas as absorbing medium and two delay lines to identify the coordinates of each detected particle. The TDC translates the time information coming from the delay lines into digital words, from which the particle position coordinates are encoded. The FPGA is responsible for processing each event, controlling the data acquisition and communicating with a personal computer. 256 pixels$times$256 pixels images are stored into an on-board memory. This resolution is increased to 512 pixels$times$512 pixels by using a time multiplexing technique. The maximum data acquisition rate is 1.2 million events per second. X-ray images obtained with the system are shown, which illustrate the overall performance.     

PET/CT中CT的剂量与CT图像质量关系的研究

为在保证图像质量的前提下,降低PET/CT中CT扫描部分的辐射剂量提供数据依据。用GEDiscovery ST16型号PET/CT系统,按不同的采集条件扫描CT质量控制模体,测量CT图像的相关性能指标;测量在各种管电流下的加权CT剂量指数,计算不同螺距下的容积CT剂量指数;分析CT图像质量与CT剂量的关系。结果表明:CT图像高对比度分辨力不受CT剂量影响;CT图像的低对比度分辨力随CT剂量增加而提高;CT剂量能影响CT图像的均匀性;CT图像噪声随CT剂量增加而降低,且可用一表达式来表示。得出在保证一定的CT图像质量的条件下,可以适当降低PET/CT检查中CT部分的辐射剂量的结论。     

Scatter reduction with energy-weighted acquisition

The theory of energy-weighted acquisition (EWA) in nuclear medicine imaging is outlined, and a system that implements EWA is described. EWA reduces the effects of scattered radiation by allowing events of all energies to contribute to image formation, processing each energy with its own short-range spatial filter. This approach implements short-range energy-dependent filtering with an image buffer called a weighted acquisition module, providing scatter reduction with controllable noise and resolution properties. The system's response to point sources and planar distributions of radioactivity embedded in radiation-scattering media have been measured. EWA is compared to conventional energy-window acquisition, showing that the EWA approach provides improved image contrast     

PET Performance Evaluation of an MR-Compatible PET Insert

A magnetic resonance (MR) compatible positron emission tomography (PET) insert has been developed in our laboratory for simultaneous small animal PET/MR imaging. This system is based on lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) scintillator arrays with position-sensitive avalanche photodiode (PSAPD) photodetectors. The PET performance of this insert has been measured. The average reconstructed image spatial resolution was 1.51 mm. The sensitivity at the center of the field of view (CFOV) was 0.35%, which is comparable to the simulation predictions of 0.40%. The average photopeak energy resolution was 25%. The scatter fraction inside the MRI scanner with a line source was 12% (with a mouse-sized phantom and standard 35 mm Bruker 1H RF coil), 7% (with RF coil only) and 5% (without phantom or RF coil) for an energy window of 350-650 keV. The front-end electronics had a dead time of 390 ns, and a trigger extension dead time of 7.32 μs that degraded counting rate performance for injected doses above ~0.75 mCi (28 MBq). The peak noise-equivalent count rate (NECR) of 1.27 kcps was achieved at 290 μCi (10.7 MBq). The system showed good imaging performance inside a 7-T animal MRI system; however improvements in data acquisition electronics and reduction of the coincidence timing window are needed to realize improved NECR performance.     

WDX-PIXE analysis of low energy X-rays using a microbeam

A high-energy resolution PIXE system developed at a heavy ion microbeam line was used to analyze low energy X-rays below 1 keV. The system is equipped with a plane crystal spectrometer with a gas flow position sensitive proportional counter (PSPC), which enables high-energy resolution PIXE analysis using a microbeam. In order to improve the detection efficiency for the low energy X-rays, the X-ray entrance window of the PSPC was replaced with a thin polymer film supported by a metal grid. As the result, the detectable energy range was extended to carbon K X-rays and chemical effect in Fe and Cu L X-rays could be detected. A preliminary result of high-energy resolution PIXE mapping of Cu mesh (#500) showed that it is possible to obtain the Cu L mapping image using a 2 MeV proton microbeam with the size of 20 × 20 μm.     

强辐射环境下CMOS图像传感器噪声对相机分辨率的影响

CMOS图像传感器（CIS, CMOS image sensor）相机是照相装置中常用的成像设备。在核工业环境下的监控过程中,CIS易受γ辐射影响产生噪声,影响图像的成像分辨率,有必要从系统角度评估CIS相机抗辐照能力。通过利用60Co?γ放射源对CIS相机进行辐照实验,分别得到了典型CIS相机的噪声与图像分辨率和辐射剂量的函数关系,进而求出满足相应分辨率条件下CIS相机的辐照剂量上限。研究结果显示,对于相机成像图片目标区域的最小灰度值区域噪声数量占比σ≤2%,CIS相机电离总剂量（total ionizing dose, TID）小于150 krad（Si）,相机分辨率没有明显降低。并且在通过ISO 12233: 2014 eSFR测试相机分辨率中发现,利用基于楔形图获取混淆的开始频率测试法评估辐照相机分辨率参数比SFR测试法更具合理性。     

放射源192Ir在箱包安全检查设备中的应用

在箱包安全检查设备中使用192Ir作为辐射源,与用X光作为辐射源相比,它具有穿透力强、成本低以及辐射稳定等优势;另对放射源192Ir射线在箱包安全检查设备中的能量硬化和散射影响进行了分析。该系统CT断层扫描图像的密度分辨率小于2%,为今后进一步进行自动物性判别研究提供了理论基础。