X-ray luminescence imaging for small-animals

摘要

X-ray luminescence imaging emerged for about a decade and combines both the high spatial resolution of x-ray imagingwith the high measurement sensitivity of optical imaging, which could result in a great molecular imaging tool for smallanimals. So far, there are two types of x-ray luminescence computed tomography (XLCT) imaging. One uses a pencilbeam x-ray for high spatial resolution at a cost of longer measurement time. The other uses cone beam x-ray to cover thewhole mouse to obtain XLCT images at a very short time but with a compromised spatial resolution. Here we review thesetwo methods in this paper and highlight the synthesized nanophosphors by different research groups.We are building a focused x-ray luminescence tomography (FXLT) imaging system, developing a machinelearningbased FXLT reconstruction algorithm, and synthesizing nanophosphors with different emission wavelengths. Inthis paper, we will report our current progress from these three aspects. Briefly, we mount all main components, includingthe focused x-ray tube, the fiber detector, and the x-ray tube and x-ray detector for a microCT system, on a rotary whichis a heavy-duty ring track. A microCT scan will be performed before FXLT scan. For a FXLT scan, we will have fourPMTs to measure four fiber detectors at two different wavelengths simultaneously for each linear scan position. We expectthe spatial resolution of the FXLT imaging will be around 100 micrometers and a limit of detection of approximately 2μg/mL (for Gd_2O_2S:Eu).