Abstract
Phase contrast X-ray CT system using an X-ray interferometer has been developed. The phase contrast X-ray technique has approximately 1000 times higher sensitivity than conventional X-ray absorption technique for low-atomic number element, enables to detect the minute density difference within biomedical objects. In this study, the image quality of rat brain fixed by ethanol was examined comparing to conventional formalin fixed brain using Phase contrast X-ray CT system. The experiment was performed at the Photon Factory and X-ray energy was set at 35 keV. Rat brain fixed by 100% ethanol was imaged by phase-contrast X-ray CT, and high contrast brain image was obtained. It was possible to clearly depict the nerve plexus, and the white matter from corpus callosum was extracted well by using 3D image processing software.
