Laboratory x-ray fluorescence tomography for high-resolution nanoparticle bio-imaging

We demonstrate that nanoparticle x-ray fluorescence computed tomography in mouse-sized objects can be performed with very high spatial resolution at acceptable dose and exposure times with a compact laboratory system. The method relies on the combination of the 24 keV line-emission from a high-brightness liquid-metal-jet x-ray source, pencil-beam-forming x-ray optics, photon-counting energy-dispersive detection, and carefully matched (Mo) nanoparticles. Phantom experiments and simulations show that the arrangement significantly reduces Compton background and allows 100 mu m detail imaging at dose and exposure times compatible with small-animal experiments. The method provides a possible path to in vivo molecular x-ray imaging at sub-100 mu m resolution in mice. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America