Recent advances in X-ray grating-based dark-field imaging

Abstract

As an emerging imaging modality, X-ray grating-based dark-field imaging provides valuable complementary information to conventional attenuation-based imaging. Dark-field imaging exploits the small-angle scattering arising from microstructures within a sample on length scales well below the system resolution. With the introduction of Talbot-Lau interferometer, dark-field imaging has demonstrated significantly improved radiological benefits in small-animal studies, especially for lung diseases. Recent development of dark-field chest radiography and human-sized dark-field computed tomography prototypes enables clinical dark-field imaging with human patients in the near future. In this review, we summarize recent advances in X-ray grating-based dark-field imaging, including dark-field chest radiography, dark-field tomography and dark-field tensor tomography, and introduce the potential in biomedical and industrial applications. We also discuss the limitations of current studies, and future hardware challenges to be overcome before the clinical routine use of X-ray grating-based dark-field imaging.