Investigation of artefact sources in synchrotron microtomography via virtual X-ray imaging

Qualitative and quantitative use of volumes reconstructed by computed tomography (CT) can be compromised due to artefacts which corrupt the data. This article illustrates a method based on virtual X-ray imaging to investigate sources of artefacts which occur in microtomography using synchrotron radiation. In this phenomenological study, different computer simulation methods based on physical X-ray properties, eventually coupled with experimental data, are used in order to compare artefacts obtained theoretically to those present in a volume acquired experimentally, or to predict them for a particular experimental setup. The article begins with the presentation of a synchrotron microtomographic slice of a reinforced fibre composite acquired at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) containing streak artefacts. This experimental context is used as the motive throughout the paper to illustrate the investigation of some artefact sources. First, the contribution of direct radiation is compared to the contribution of secondary radiations. Then, the effect of some methodological aspects are detailed, including under-sampling, sample and camera misalignment, sample extending outside of the field of view and photonic noise. The effect of harmonic components present in the experimental spectrum are also simulated. Afterwards, detector properties, such as its impulse response or defective pixels, are taken into account. Finally, the importance of phase contrast effects is evaluated. In the last section, this investigation is discussed by putting emphasis on the experimental context which is used throughout this paper.