Time-gated imaging in radiology: theoretical and experimental studies

Novel short-pulse X-ray sources, e.g., laser-produced plasmas, offer new approaches to the solution of the scatter-reduction problem in X-ray imaging, by the use of time-gated detection techniques. Monte Carlo simulations are used to estimate the scatter-reduction performance of time-gated imaging techniques within a range of X-ray energies, gating times and tissue parameters. Significant improvements can be achieved for thick tissues combined with high photon energies. Experimental studies on water phantoms are performed using a laser-produced plasma X-ray source. Problems arising on the technical realization are discussed.