Techniques in X-ray astronomy

X-ray astronomy has benefited enormously with the deployment of imaging X-ray telescopes in space, leading to a veritable revolution. Such telescopes require distortion free focusing of X-rays and the use of position sensitive X-ray detectors. In this article I shall describe the importance of X-ray imaging, the optical principles behind the creation of images and the instruments based on these principles. The various techniques used to fabricate such X-ray telescopes are described briefly. The many types of detectors used in X-ray astronomy will be described in the second part of this article in a subsequent issue ofResonance. Kulinder Pal Singh is in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. His primary fields of research are X-ray studies of hot plasmas in stars, supernova remnants, galaxies, intergalactic medium in clusters of galaxies, active galactic nuclei, cataclysmic variables and X-ray binaries. He is leading the development of a soft X-ray imaging telescope for the ASTROSAT mission to be launched by India in 2007–2008.     

基于RD域分块的改进距离徙动成像算法

研究了二维频域成像算法,提出一种基于RD域分块的改进距离徙动成像算法,并将该算法与近似算法和一般逆变标算法进行了点阵目标仿真和运算效率比较.当测绘带较宽且距离徙动较大时,该算法聚焦性能优于近似算法和一般逆变标算法.通过比较还可看出该算法运算效率高于逆变标算法.最后用实测数据仿真验证了该算法是可行的.     

蛋白质晶体高分辨成象条件的研究

在应用高分辨电子显微技术测定蛋白质晶体结构中,由于蛋白质晶体对辐射损伤的敏感性和真空损伤等原因,使蛋白质晶体高分辨成象困难且有别于通常的高分辨成象.本文应用光学衍射方法,对蛋白质晶体高分辨成象条件进行了测定和分析.     

设备更新最优期限的探讨

从经济效益角度确定的设备更新的最优期限即为设备的经济寿命。本文在对其进行定量分析的基础上,建立了设备经济寿命的计算模型,为设备更新决策提供参考。     

Gadobutrol at different injection rates for dynamic supra-aortic imaging by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography

The aim of this study was to compare differences in imaging quality at different injection rates of gadobutrol(Gadovist? 1.0M) for dynamic supra-aortic imaging by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography(CEM RA). In 6 healthy volunteers,dynamic CEM RA examinations were performed twice at a 7 d interval with a gadobutrol dose of 0.1 mmol given to 1 kg body mass. For the two examinations,the contrast medium was injected at rates of 1.5 mL/s and 2.0 mL/s,followed by 20 mL normal saline injected at the same rate. Using a GE Signa 3.0T M R apparatus and the time-resolved imaging of contrast kinetics(TRICKS) technique,scanning was performed continuously for 15 phases at a time resolution of about 2.4 s. Vascular reconstruction was undertaken by multiplane reconstruction and maximum intensity projection techniques. Two radiologists experienced in CEM RA diagnosis subjectively evaluated the contrast effect,vascular detail,and pseudo-shadow of all images,and graded them via a 5-point scale. With the two drug injection rates,the image quality,peak signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR) were compared for imaging of the infra-aortic arch,brachiocephalic trunk,subclavian artery(left/right),common carotid artery(left/right),internal carotid artery(left/right),and external carotid artery(left/right). Characteristics of the time-signal-intensity(T-S-I) curves were also analyzed at the two injection rates. All studies were performed successfully,without any complications. There was good image quality with both gadobutrol injection rates of 1.5 mL/s and 2.0 mL/s,and subjective scores for image quality,SNR and CNR were not significantly different between the two rates(P 0.05). The time-to-peak(TTP) from the hand dorsal vein injection site to the carotid artery ranged from 16.0 s to 27.1 s(mean 21.7 s ±3.4 s) in the 6 subjects,and was also not significantly different between the two drug injection rates(P 0.05). We conclude that dynamic CEM RA examination of the supra-aortic arch with gadobutrol injection at a rate of 1.5 mL/s was feasible,and satisfactorily reflected vascular shape and dynamic blood flow information.     

基于混合空间投影的平面回波成像中ghost伪影校正

为了消除在磁共振成像过程中奇、偶回波之间的相位移动产生的ghost伪影,提出了基于混合空间投影的方法.首先运用混合空间沿相位方向的投影来计算奇、偶回波的相位差,然后对相位差进行非线性拟合并对奇偶回波的相位进行恢复,最后沿相位编码方向作傅立叶逆变换得到校正图像.实验结果表明运用该方法线性和非线性相位差均可以被校正,可以明显降低ghost伪影的强度.实验结果证明了算法消除ghost伪影的有效性.