Phase-contrast x-ray imaging systems and methods

A system for phase-contrast x-ray imaging for imaging an object, comprising:

• an x-ray source generating x-rays, at least a portion of the x-rays interacting with the object;
• a first detector positioned at a first position to receive the x-rays generated by the x-ray source after at least a portion of the x-rays have interacted with the object and output an image signal indicative of the intensity of the x-rays received, the first detector being constructed so as to allow transmission of at least a portion of the x-rays through the first detector;
• a second detector positioned at a second position to receive the x-rays transmitted through the first detector and output an image signal indicative of the intensity of the x-rays received;
• and
• an object-map generator receiving the image signal from the first detector and the image signal from the second detector, the object-map generator utilizing the image signal from the first detector and the image signal from the second detector to generate an attenuation-map and a phase-map for the object.

A system for phase-contrast x-ray imaging for imaging an object, comprising:

• a plurality of x-ray sources generating x-rays, at least a portion of the x-rays generated by the plurality of x-ray sources interacting with the object;
• at least one first detector positioned at a first position to receive at least a portion of the x-rays generated by the plurality of x-ray sources after at least a portion of the x-rays have interacted with the object and output an image signal indicative of the intensity of the x-rays received, the at least one first detector being constructed so as to allow transmission of at least a portion of the x-rays through the at least one first detector;
• at least one second detector positioned at a second position to receive the x-rays transmitted through the at least one first detector and output an image signal indicative of the intensity of the x-rays received;
• and;
• an object-map generator receiving a plurality of image signals from the at least one first detector for the first position and a plurality of image signals from the at least one second detector for the second position, the object-map generator combining the plurality of image signals associated with the first position to form a collective image signal for the first position and combining the plurality of image signals associated with the second position to form a collective image signal for the second position, the object-map generator further utilizing the collective image signal for the first position and the collective image signal for the second position to generate an attenuation-map and a phase-map for the object.