X-ray-induced acoustic computed tomography: 3D X-ray absorption imaging from a single view.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39642225.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.ads1584 and PMC identifier 11627201.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Computed tomography (CT) scanners are essential for modern imaging but require around 600 projections from various angles. We present x-ray-induced acoustic computed tomography (XACT), a method that uses radiation-induced acoustic waves for three-dimensional (3D) x-ray imaging. These spherical acoustic waves travel through tissue at 1.5 × 10<sup>3</sup> meters per second, much slower than x-rays, allowing ultrasound detectors to capture them and generate 3D images without mechanical scanning. We validate this theory by performing 3D numerical reconstructions of a human breast from a single x-ray projection and experimentally determining 3D structures of objects at different depths. Achieving resolutions of 0.4 millimeters in the <i>XZ</i> plane and 3.5 millimeters in the <i>XY</i> plane at a depth of 16 millimeters, XACT demonstrates the ability to produce 3D images from one x-ray projection, reducing radiation exposure and enabling gantry-free imaging. XACT shows great promise for biomedical and nondestructive testing applications, potentially replacing conventional CT.