# Implementation and validation of a lung x-ray interferometry imaging system, with applications to COPD, COVID-19 and other lung diseases

> **NIH NIH R41** · REFINED IMAGING, LLC · 2022 · $322,996

## Abstract

Abstract
 Lung diseases ranging from cancer to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affect large numbers
of men and women worldwide each year. Current news reports describe the respiratory impact of COVID-19;
likewise, the past year has seen extensive coverage of the respiratory problems caused by vaping. Worldwide,
lung diseases of all types result in millions of deaths per year at a staggering cost of trillions of dollars annually.
 Radiography and CT are the primary diagnostic imaging tools for lung diseases. Radiography and CT do
well at visualizing denser structures such as tumors, but low x-ray absorption and small local changes in density
that characterize many lung diseases limit the visualization of lung tissue itself. While techniques such as
radiomics can extract additional information from images, suboptimal lung image quality inherently limits
diagnostic interpretation. The development of a low-cost, safe, non-invasive diagnostic imaging technique that
provides improved visualization of lung tissue and lung diseases is highly desirable.
 X-ray interferometry imaging potentially answers the need for better diagnostic imaging of lung diseases of
many types. Radiography and CT are relatively insensitive to loss of alveolar tissue and small-scale structural
changes in the lung. By comparison, x-ray interferometry is highly sensitive to tissue structural changes at these
length scales, due to the physics of diffraction and scattering of x-rays. Interferometry simultaneously provides
a conventional absorption image with two types of interferometric images: dark-field and phase contrast. The
“dark-field” image is especially well-suited to visualizing small changes in lung structure.
 Refined Imaging LLC, in collaboration with Louisiana State University (LSU) and Pennington Biomedical
Research Center (PBRC), will construct an x-ray interferometry system for projection radiography of lungs, and
conduct a small pilot study to illustrate its diagnostic capabilities. Our goal is to demonstrate visualization
capabilities that compare favorably to CT, but with the low dose and convenience of planar radiography. Our
interferometer acquires a scanned image of the lungs of a standing person in a single breath hold. Key design
targets include a scan time of 5 seconds and an effective dose less than 35 µSv. The pilot study will acquire
interferometry images for 15 COPD patients and 5 healthy volunteers recruited by LSU pulmonologists.
Interpretation of interferometry images is benchmarked against pulmonary function test, radiography and CT.
Refined Imaging LLC and LSU have the technical expertise and experience to construct the proof-of-concept
interferometry imaging system. Our colleagues at PBRC have substantial experience with clinical studies, while
LSU radiologists and pulmonologists provide expertise in diagnosis imaging and management of lung disease.
 Ultimately, Refined Imaging LLC will partner with a medical imaging systems manufactur...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10384525
- **Project number:** 1R41HL158414-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** REFINED IMAGING, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** KENNETH L MATTHEWS
- **Activity code:** R41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $322,996
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10384525

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10384525, Implementation and validation of a lung x-ray interferometry imaging system, with applications to COPD, COVID-19 and other lung diseases (1R41HL158414-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10384525. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*