Fourier transform phase retrieval for x-ray phase-contrast imaging based on cascaded Talbot–Lau interferometers

Long exposure time is one of the major limitations in x-ray phase-contrast imaging (XPCI). Therefore, we demonstrate a promising alternative method for grating-based XPCI coupled with cascaded Talbot–Lau interferometers (TLIs). A Fourier analysis of the moire fringe patterns generated by the interferometers was used to obtain the multicontrast images (such as absorption, differential phase-contrast, and normalized visibility-contrast images) with a single exposure. The cascaded configuration with TLI and inverse TLI using large-period absorption gratings was established to verify the effectiveness of the algorithm and three multicontrast images of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tube were obtained experimentally. The groove structures in the PTFE can be clearly identified in the differential phase-contrast image. This method shows potential for application of cascaded TLI in medical imaging.