Konstantin M. Pavlov

Imaging lung aeration and lung liquid clearance at birth

Aeration of the lung and the transition to air‐breathing at birth is fundamental to mammalian life and initiates major changes in cardiopulmonary physiology. However, the dynamics of this process and the factors involved are largely unknown, because it has not been possible to observe or measure lung aeration on a breath‐by‐breath basis. We have used the high contrast and spatial resolution of phase contrast X‐ray imaging to study lung aeration at birth in spontaneously breathing neonatal rabbits. As the liquid‐filled fetal lungs provide little absorption or phase contrast, they are not visible and only become visible as they aerate, allowing a detailed examination of this process. Pups were imaged live from birth to determine the timing and spatial pattern of lung aeration, and relative levels of lung aeration were measured from the images using a power spectral analysis. We report the first detailed observations and measurements of lung aeration, demonstrating its dependence on inspiratory activity and body position; dependent regions aerated at much slower rates. The air/liquid interface moved toward the distal airways only during inspiration, with little proximal movement during expiration, indicating that trans‐pulmonary pressures play an important role in airway liquid clearance at birth. Using these imaging techniques, the dynamics of lung aeration and the critical role it plays in regulating the physiological changes at birth can be fully explored.—Hooper S. B., Kitchen, M. J., Wallace, M. J., Yagi, N., Uesugi, K., Morgan M. J., Hall, C., Siu, K. K. W., Williams, I. M., Siew, M., Irvine, S. C., Pavlov, K., Lewis R. A. Imaging lung aeration and lung liquid clearance at birth. FASEB J. 21, 3329–3337 (2007)

Dynamic imaging of the lungs using x-ray phase contrast

High quality real-time imaging of lungs in vivo presents considerable challenges. We demonstrate here that phase contrast x-ray imaging is capable of dynamically imaging the lungs. It retains many of the advantages of simple x-ray imaging, whilst also being able to map weakly absorbing soft tissues based on refractive index differences. Preliminary results reported herein show that this novel imaging technique can identify and locate airway liquid and allows lung aeration in newborn rabbit pups to be dynamically visualized.

A non-iterative reconstruction method for direct and unambiguous coherent diffractive imaging

We develop a deterministic algorithm for coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) that employs a modified Fourier transform of a Fraunhofer diffraction pattern to quantitatively reconstruct the complex scalar wavefield at the exit surface of a sample of interest. The sample is placed in a uniformly-illuminated rectangular hole with dimensions at least two times larger than the sample. For this particular scenario, and in the far-field diffraction case, our non-iterative reconstruction algorithm is rapid, exact and gives a unique analytical solution to the inverse problem. The efficacy and stability of the algorithm, which may achieve resolutions in the nanoscale range, is demonstrated using simulated X-ray data.

Linear systems with slowly varying transfer functions and their application to x-ray phase-contrast imaging

A novel theoretical treatment of linear shift-invariant imaging systems is developed, which allows explicit solution of forward and inverse problems in the case of large values of the generalized Fresnel number. The method will be useful in a variety of domains including optical instrumentation, biomedical imaging and materials science. Our approach is used to integrate two particularly topical x-ray imaging methods, namely propagation-based and analyser-crystal-based x-ray phase-contrast imaging.

Quantitative diffraction-enhanced x-ray imaging of weak objects

Theoretical aspects of quantitative diffraction-enhanced imaging of weak objects are considered using the Fourier optics approach. The amplitude and phase transfer functions are introduced by analogy with the well-known case of in-line (holographic) imaging. The inverse problem of the reconstruction of the phase and amplitude of the incident wave from recorded images is solved in the case of non-absorbing objects and objects consisting of a single material and in the general case of objects with uncorrelated refraction and absorption characteristics. A comparison is given between the solutions to the inverse problem obtained using the new formalism and the geometric-optics approximation.

Analysis of the mosaic structure of an ordered (Al,Ga)N layer

The mosaic structure of an (Al,Ga)N layer grown on (0001) sapphire showing natural ordering was studied by high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) reciprocal-space mapping. The direction-dependent mosaicity of the layer has been elaborated using maps of symmetrical and asymmetrical reflections. The reciprocal-lattice points show significant broadening depending on the direction in reciprocal space, the diffraction order and the reflection type (fundamental or superstructural). The evaluation followed two paths: (i) a procedure based on the Williamson–Hall plot and (ii) a new approach based on the statistical diffraction theory (SDT). Here, the transformed Takagi equations were implemented for the simulation of the reciprocal-space maps (RSM) for symmetrical and asymmetrical reflections. The reconstruction comprised the mosaic block size, their average rotation angle and the spatial distribution of some components of the microdistortion tensor. The results based on the SDT modelling agree well with those obtained by the Williamson–Hall method, while providing a higher degree of precision and detail.

Statistical dynamical theory of X-ray diffraction in the Bragg case: application to triple-crystal diffractometry

The statistical dynamical theory of X-ray diffraction is developed for a crystal containing statistically distributed microdefects. Fourier-component equations for coherent and diffuse (incoherent) scattered waves have been obtained in the case of so-called triple-crystal diffractometry. New correlation lengths and areas are introduced for characterization of the scattered volume.

A variant on the geometrical optics approximation in diffraction enhanced tomography

In this paper we describe a regularization approach to diffraction enhanced tomography. This approach represents an improvement over methods based on a geometrical optics approximation. Reconstructed images of the attenuation coefficients and refractive indices of computer generated phantoms are presented. An experimental scheme is also discussed, which utilizes a first-generation tomography set-up, in conjunction with an analyser crystal.

Phase contrast image segmentation using a Laue analyser crystal

Dual-energy x-ray imaging is a powerful tool enabling two-component samples to be separated into their constituent objects from two-dimensional images. Phase contrast x-ray imaging can render the boundaries between media of differing refractive indices visible, despite them having similar attenuation properties; this is important for imaging biological soft tissues. We have used a Laue analyser crystal and a monochromatic x-ray source to combine the benefits of both techniques. The Laue analyser creates two distinct phase contrast images that can be simultaneously acquired on a high-resolution detector. These images can be combined to separate the effects of x-ray phase, absorption and scattering and, using the known complex refractive indices of the sample, to quantitatively segment its component materials. We have successfully validated this phase contrast image segmentation (PCIS) using a two-component phantom, containing an iodinated contrast agent, and have also separated the lungs and ribcage in images of a mouse thorax. Simultaneous image acquisition has enabled us to perform functional segmentation of the mouse thorax throughout the respiratory cycle during mechanical ventilation.

X-ray phase, absorption and scatter retrieval using two or more phase contrast images

We have developed two phase-retrieval techniques for analyser-based phase contrast imaging that provide information about an objects X-ray absorption, refraction and scattering properties. The first requires rocking curves to be measured with and without the sample and improves upon existing techniques by accurately fitting the curves with Pearson type VII functions. The second employs an iterative approach using two simultaneously recorded images by exploiting the Laue crystal geometry. This technique provides a substantial reduction in X-ray dose and enables quantitative phase retrieval to be performed on images of moving objects.