Small angle diffraction imaging for disease diagnosis

Current work in small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as a means of determining the disease state of tissue biopsy samples is showing encouraging results. Statistical analyses of SAXS patterns have identified components of the data which correlate well with the presence or absence of cancer in breast tissue. A study has now been started which attempts to create images of macroscopic scale samples using this information. One way of building up a two-dimensional map of this SAXS information on such a sample would be to raster scan a small X-ray beam. However, the time taken to perform such a scan is likely to make this technique impractical, especially if it would be considered for use in a clinical environment. Some initial work using a wide, thin X-ray beam, has shown that it is possible to deconvolve a model SAXS pattern from the smeared out SAXS pattern and is verified using slightly modified methods. Three distinct tissue types were successfully distinguished and imaged from a single scan of the beam. We are continuing this work by building a more sophisticated phantom and using a higher quality SAXS facility on the SRS in the UK. The results of the first steps towards disease specific imaging are presented. The possibility of making tomographic SAXS images is also being pursued. Techniques for data analysis on SAXS from blocks of tissues are discussed.