Phase-contrast imaging of a soft biological object using X-pinch as X-ray source

Abstract

The X-ray emission from an X-pinch was measured with diamond photoconducting detectors and a pinhole camera, and the results show that the X-ray source of the X-pinch is extremely small in size and high in brightness. As such, the X-pinch could be considered as an X-ray point source having a high spatial coherence that is required by a simplified scheme of X-ray phase-contrast imaging. The X-pinch was used as X-ray source for the phase-contrast imaging of a weakly X-ray–absorbing mosquito and an image with high contrast was obtained.