A biometrics recognition instrument using X-ray phase contrast imaging for biosafety inspection

Abstract

BackgroundCustoms biosafety inspection is of great significance for maintaining ecological balance and protecting rare wild animals and plants.PurposeTo overcome the problem of poor contrast in traditional X-ray imaging systems for customs biosecurity inspections, an inspection instrument based on X-ray phase contrast imaging planned to be developed in this work.MethodsThe on-line phase contrast imaging method with high photon utilization efficiency was adopted in order to meet the requirements of high-efficiency data acquisition and fast imaging for the customs inspection. The protective shed shielding, security linkage and automatic sample stage were used in the instrument to ensure radiation safety in the inspection and the convenience of sample switching and adjustment. The methods of phase contrast micro-CT and three-dimensional micro-structure quantitative analysis were applied for biometrics recognition of specimens.ResultsA biometrics recognition instrument based on X-ray phase contrast imaging is developed. The test results of JIMA chart and actual samples show that the spatial resolution of the instrument is 3 μm and that the instrument enables high contrast imaging and quantitative analysis of weakly absorbing samples and can be used for the inspection of most biological specimens.ConclusionsThe instrument developed in this work provides a new tool for customs biosafety inspection. Due to its phase contrast imaging characteristics, the instrument can also be applied to the research of microscopic identification of Chinese medicinal materials, structural pharmaceutics and polymer materials.

Keywords

• x-ray phase contrast imaging
• micro-ct
• micro-focus x-ray tube
• biosafety inspection