XACT Imaging: The Best of X-ray and Ultrasound

A UCI research team pioneered X-ray-induced acoustic computed tomography (XACT), a novel imaging modality that utilizes X-ray-induced acoustic signals to achieve three-dimensional imaging from a single X-ray projection. This advancement significantly reduces the amount of radiation required for diagnostic quality imaging and paves the way for more efficient hybrid medical imaging devices.

What is XACT? (X-ray induced acoustic computed tomography)

XACT combines X-rays and ultrasound technology to create 3D images of the body. This new medical imaging technique requires lower X-ray exposure to reconstruct anatomy. XACT does not rotate around the body like a conventional CT scan and can produce 3D images with as little as one X-ray exposure.

The study builds upon earlier research from the 1980’s where scientists first observed that X-ray pulses can generate acoustic waves in certain materials. It was found that X-rays produced a tiny, but measurable amount of heat and ultrasound waves in absorbers like water.

Key Takeaways

While this research, led by Siqi Wang, Prabodh Kumar Pandey, Gerald Lee, Rick J. P. van Bergen, Leshan Sun, Yifei Xu, and senior author Liangzhong Xiang at the University of California, Irvine, represents a major leap forward, but the technique is still under active development and has not yet been implemented in routine clinical use.

For more information, visit National Library of Medicine: “X-ray-induced acoustic computed tomography: 3D X-ray absorption imaging from a single view”

UC Irvine XACT TRUE Lab: https://truelab.medschool.uci.edu/research-3/xact/

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