X-ray imaging

Exploiting the properties of synchrotron radiation to obtain detailed real-time images of living subjects

Synchrotrons produce collimated beams of monochromatic X-rays which make them ideally suited for investigating the physics of diagnostic X-ray imaging.

A number of imaging techniques are being researched by the MCSS team including in-line phase contrast X-ray imaging and diffraction enhanced (or analyzer based) imaging.

Our early results have shown that there is considerable room for improvement compared with current diagnostic X-ray procedures.

This movie shows phase contrast X-ray images of a rabbit pup taking its first breaths. Phase contrast images reveal much more detail than conventional X-rays. Here you can see the structure of the lungs in increasing detail, as they fill with air.

We are currently working on projects looking at:

Lung development in newborn mammals
Non-invasive assessment of lung diseases
The application of phase contrast imaging to mammography
High resolution contrast angiography of organ circulatory systems

Ultimately, we hope that our work will lead to improvements in hospital based X-ray equipment and so improve diagnostic X-ray imaging for everyone.

Monash researchers involved

X-Ray imaging

Phase contrast X-ray image of a rabbit pup (Marcus Kitchen)

This image shows a rabbit pup after taking its first breath. It was taken at the SPring-8 synchrotron in Japan, using a technique called phase contrast X-ray imaging. The speckling shows that the lungs have filled with air.