Diffraction enhanced x-ray imaging of articular cartilage

• US 20020027970A1
• Filed: 04/17/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC (Government of the United States of America), Illinois Institute of Technology, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill (University of North Carolina System)
• Original Assignee: Illinois Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Hasnah, Moumen O., Aurich, Matthias, Johnston, R. Eugene, Muehleman, Carol, Sayers, Dale, Thomlinson, William Craig, Pisano, Etta D., Zhong, Zhong, Chapman, Leroy Dean, Kuettner, Klaus, Mollenhauer, Juergen, Oltulu, Oral
• Granted Patent: US 6,577,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4514 Cartilage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4092 for producing synchrotron radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/50 specially adapted for specific body parts; specially adapted for specific clinical applications
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/505 for diagnosis of bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/583 using calibration phantoms
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/20 by using diffraction of the radiation by the materials, e.g. for investigating crystal structure; by using scattering of the radiation by the materials, e.g. for investigating non-crystalline materials; by using reflection of the radiation by the materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/2258 Measuring secondary ion emission, e.g. secondary ion mass spectrometry [SIMS] mass-to-charge ratio analysis aspects of SIMS for material analysis G01N27/62
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 2207/005 Methods and devices obtaining contrast from non-absorbing interaction of the radiation with matter, e.g. phase contrast

Abstract

A method and system for detecting an image of an object, particularly a soft tissue material. A generated x-ray beam is transmitted through the soft tissue material. A transmitted beam is directed at an angle of incidence upon a crystal analyzer. An image of the object is detected from a beam diffracted from the crystal analyzer either at or near a peak of a rocking curve of the crystal analyzer. The method and system of this invention is particularly useful for analyzing images of cartilage.

Claims

1. In a method for detecting an image of an object, wherein an x-ray beam is generated, the improvement comprising:

transmitting the x-ray beam through a soft tissue material and emitting from the soft tissue material a transmitted beam;

directing the transmitted beam at an angle of incidence upon a crystal analyzer; and

detecting an image of the object from a beam diffracted from the crystal analyzer one of at and near a peak of a rocking curve of the crystal analyzer.

2. In a method according to claim 1 wherein the one of at and near the peak occurs within approximately one-half of a Darwin width of the rocking curve.

3. In a method according to claim 1 wherein the soft tissue material is one of a human body tissue and an animal body tissue.

4. In a method according to claim 1 wherein the soft tissue material is at least one of cartilage, bone, muscle, tendon, ligament, vascular tissue and other connective tissues.

5. In a method according to claim 1 wherein the image is examined to determine one of a normal physiologic state, a structural state and a pathological state.

6. In a method according to claim 1 wherein the image is exposed on a detector.

7. In a method according to claim 6 wherein the detector is capable of producing a digitized image.

8. In a method according to claim 6 wherein the detector is a radiographic film.

9. In a method according to claim 6 wherein the detector is an image plate.

10. In a method according to claim 1 wherein the crystal analyzer upon which the transmitted beams are directed is a Bragg type analyzer.

11. In a method according to claim 1 wherein the transmitted beam has an energy level in a range of approximately 16 keV to approximately 100 keV.

12. In a method according to claim 1 wherein the x-ray beam is diffracted by a monochromator which is matched in orientation and lattice planes to the crystal analyzer.

13. In a method according to claim 1 further comprising increasing a relative intensity of the image of the object by adjusting an angular position of the crystal analyzer.

14. In a method according to claim 13 wherein the angular position of the crystal analyzer is adjusted in steps of approximately 1 microradian increments.

15. In a method according to claim 1 wherein the x-ray beam is a mono-energetic synchrotron beam.