Spectral phase-contrast virtual histology on human thyroid specimens by using beam-tracking edge-illumination.

The proposed experiment aims to implement, test, and use, for the first time, a spectral phase-contrast setup based on the beam-tracking edge-illumination (BTEI) technique in the 3D virtual histology study of human pathological thyroid specimens. The combination of X-ray spectral imaging (XSI) and a phase-contrast technique such as BTEI allows providing both a quantitative 3D map of the thyroid’s iodine content while retaining the soft tissue visibility offered by phase-maps. Additionally, the availability of independent attenuation and phase images allows obtaining additional output from basis material decomposition algorithms. Specifically, starting from two monochromatic CT acquisitions, respectively below and above iodine K-edge (33.2 keV), 3 independent maps of soft tissue, calcium, and iodine will be extracted.