Diffraction enhanced imaging of breast tissue

For evaluating the X-ray diffraction enhanced imaging (DEI) technology in the early diagnosis of breast cancer, the massive samples of normal breast tissue and cancerous one were imaged by DEI method using hard X-rays from 4W1A beamline at the Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF). DEI images of both normal and cancerous breast tissues have been comparatively analyzed. The results show that diffraction images obtained at the top position of the rocking curve is clear enough and approximately display the structures of the soft tissue. The apparent absorption image is basically similar to the conventional mammography, and there are definite difficulties in distinguishing variant soft-tissues and its ability of finding cancerous soft-tissues is lower than the diffraction image. The inner structures of samples and the differences in shape, size, distribution and structure of the gland for normal and cancerous breast tissues can be clearly shown in refraction images. So, the DEI technology has high value in diagnosing breast cancer and may be an important complementary to early diagnostic method.