Recent developments in the MuCAT microtomography facility

Graham R. Davis; Anthony N. Z. Evershed; David Mills

doi:10.1117/12.928855

17 October 2012 Recent developments in the MuCAT microtomography facility

Graham R. Davis, Anthony N. Z. Evershed, David Mills

Proceedings Volume 8506, Developments in X-Ray Tomography VIII; 85060E (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.928855
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2012, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The goal of the MuCAT scanner development at Queen Mary University of London is to provide highly accurate maps of a specimen’s X-ray linear attenuation coefficient; speed of data acquisition and spatial resolution having a lower priority. The reason for this approach is that the primary application is to accurately map the mineral concentration in teeth. Synchrotron tomography would generally be considered more appropriate for such a task, but many of the dental applications involve repeated scans with long intervening periods (from hours to weeks) and the management of synchrotron facilities does not readily allow such research. Development work is concentrated in two areas: beam hardening correction algorithms and novel scanning methodology. Beam hardening correction is combined with calibration, such that the raw X-ray projection data is corrected for beam hardening prior to reconstruction. Recent developments include the design of a multi-element calibration carousel. This has nine calibration pieces, five aluminium, three titanium and one copper. Development of the modelling algorithm is also yielding improved accuracy. A time-delay integration CCD camera is used to avoid ring artefacts. The original prototype averaged out inhomogeneities in both the detector array and the X-ray field; later designs used only software correction for the latter. However, at lower X-ray energies, the effect of deposits on the X-ray window (for example) becomes more conspicuous and so a new scanning methodology has been designed whereby the specimen moves in an arc about the source and equiangular data is acquired, thus overcoming this problem.

Citation Download Citation

Graham R. Davis, Anthony N. Z. Evershed, and David Mills "Recent developments in the MuCAT microtomography facility", Proc. SPIE 8506, Developments in X-Ray Tomography VIII, 85060E (17 October 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.928855

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available