System and method for nanoscale X-ray imaging of biological specimen

An imaging system for imaging a biological specimen, the imaging system comprising:

• an X-ray source including a plurality of spatially and/or temporally addressable electron sources;
• an X-ray detector arranged such that incident X-rays are oriented substantially normal to an incident surface of the X-ray detector;
• a stage arranged between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector, the stage configured to have mounted thereon the biological specimen through which X-rays generated by the X-ray source pass during operation of the imaging system;
• and
• at least one controller configured to:
• move the stage during operation of the imaging system;
• and
• selectively activate at least a subset of the electron sources during movement of the stage to acquire a set of intensity data by the X-ray detector as the stage moves along a three-dimensional trajectory.

A method of imaging a biological specimen using an imaging device comprising an X-ray source having a plurality of electron sources, an X-ray detector and a three-axis stage arranged between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector and configured to have mounted thereon the biological specimen, the method comprising:

• moving, using at least one controller, the three-axis stage along a three-dimensional trajectory during operation of the imaging device;
• activating a first subset of the electron sources to acquire a first set of intensity data by the X-ray detector when the three-axis stage is at a first position along the three-dimensional trajectory;
• activating a second subset of the electron sources different from the first subset to acquire a second set of intensity data by the x-ray detector when the three-axis stage is at a second position different from the first position along the three-dimensional trajectory;
• and
• performing a tomosynthesis reconstruction process using the first and second sets of intensity data.