Phase-contrast imaging using radiation sources based on laser-plasma wakefield accelerators: state of the art and future development

D. Reboredo.; S. Cipiccia; P. A. Grant; G. H. Welsh; D. W. Grant; G. McKendrick; A. Subiel; D. Maneuski; S. M. Wiggins; D. A. Jaroszynski

doi:10.1117/12.2082088

18 March 2015 Phase-contrast imaging using radiation sources based on laser-plasma wakefield accelerators: state of the art and future development

D. Reboredo., S. Cipiccia, P. A. Grant, G. H. Welsh, D. W. Grant, G. McKendrick, A. Subiel, D. Maneuski, S. M. Wiggins, D. A. Jaroszynski

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Proceedings Volume 9412, Medical Imaging 2015: Physics of Medical Imaging; 94120J (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2082088
Event: SPIE Medical Imaging, 2015, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

Both the laser-plasma wakefield accelerator (LWFA) and X-ray phase-contrast imaging (XPCi) are promising technologies that are attracting the attention of the scientific community. Conventional X-ray absorption imaging cannot be used as a means of imaging biological material because of low contrast. XPCi overcomes this limitation by exploiting the variation of the refraction index of materials. The contrast obtained is higher than for conventional absorption imaging and requires a lower dose. The LWFA is a new concept of acceleration where electrons are accelerated to very high energy (~150 MeV) in very short distances (mm scale) by surfing plasma waves excited by the passage of an ultra-intense laser pulse (~10¹⁸ Wcm^-2) through plasma. Electrons in the LWFA can undergo transverse oscillation and emit synchrotron-like (betatron) radiation in a narrow cone around the propagation axis. The properties of the betatron radiation produced by LWFA, such as source size and spectrum, make it an excellent candidate for XPCi. In this work we present the characterization of betatron radiation produced by the LWFA in the ALPHA-X laboratory (University of Strathclyde). We show how phase contrast images can be obtained using the betatron radiation in a free-space propagation configuration and we discuss the potential and limitation of the LWFA driven XPCi.

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D. Reboredo., S. Cipiccia, P. A. Grant, G. H. Welsh, D. W. Grant, G. McKendrick, A. Subiel, D. Maneuski, S. M. Wiggins, and D. A. Jaroszynski "Phase-contrast imaging using radiation sources based on laser-plasma wakefield accelerators: state of the art and future development", Proc. SPIE 9412, Medical Imaging 2015: Physics of Medical Imaging, 94120J (18 March 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2082088

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KEYWORDS

X-rays

Plasma

Bone

Electrons

Monte Carlo methods

X-ray imaging

Absorption

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