X-ray tomography: v|tome|x

In order to offer an x-ray facility complementary to the neutron tomography station ANTARES, the FRM II and the Chair of Biomedical Physics at the Technische Universität München operate a high resolution computer tomography facility. The “micro CT VtomeX” is also available to users of the MLZ. Samples, that can be examined, include geo and composite materials, semiconductors and biomedical specimens.

The x-ray tomography station is featured by its high flexibility: Due to two different exchangeable x-ray tubes, both, pictures with high resolution and pictures with lower resolution but higher contrast, can be taken. The detector allows for fast and highly contrasted pictures. The reconstruction of the data is accomplished within a few minutes due to a cluster of four computers using graphic cards to calculate the images.

First test measurements with a screw in rabbit bones simulating a metal implant show good results (see gallery, figure 2). Usually, artefacts occur around metal implants in medical tomography. Using the new facility, on the contrary, the bone structure close to the screw is still well differentiated.

• Max. sample diameter 230 mm
• Max. sample height 420 mm
• Min. resolution <1 micron (isotropic)
• Max. voxel size of reconstruction 2048³
• Max. x-ray energy 240 keV
• Max. sample weight 10 kg
• Typical scanning time 1-120 min