Synchrotron microangiography with no contrast agent

Abstract

Coherent x-rays from synchrotron sources are increasingly used in non-conventional radiological techniques ('phase-contrast' radiology). Our experiments demonstrate that by using white (unmonochromatic) radiation and a time-resolving system, it is possible to image microscopic details of moving blood vessels in different live animals without using any contrast agent. The images have excellent contrast plus unprecedented spatial resolution for microangiography (< 10 microm). This result is likely to impact many different areas of biological and medical research and of diagnostic radiology.