Comparison of two x-ray phase-contrast imaging methods with a microfocus source

We present a comparison for high-resolution imaging with a laboratory source between grating-based (GBI) and propagation-based (PBI) x-ray phase-contrast imaging. The comparison is done through simulations and experiments using a liquid-metal-jet x-ray microfocus source. Radiation doses required for detection in projection images are simulated as a function of the diameter of a cylindrical sample. Using monochromatic radiation, simulations show a lower dose requirement for PBI for small object features and a lower dose for GBI for larger object features. Using polychromatic radiation, such as that from a laboratory microfocus source, experiments and simulations show a lower dose requirement for PBI for a large range of feature sizes. Tested on a biological sample, GBI shows higher noise levels than PBI, but its advantage of quantitative refractive index reconstruction for multi-material samples becomes apparent. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America