Comparison of single-photon counting and charge-integrating detectors for X-ray high-resolution imaging of small biological objects

This work presents a direct comparison of two pixel detectors: a charge-integrating flat panel imager coupled to a Csl:Tl scintillator and a hybrid silicon detector of Medipix2 type, working in a single-photon counting mode. The comparison concerns image quality in terms of system-spatial resolution, signal-to-noise ratio and contrast in imaging of small biological objects. It will be shown that, at photon energies below 40 keV and for low attenuating biological objects, single-photon counting detectors are more appropriate for small-animal imaging than flat panel devices right due to better spatial resolution, signal-to-noise ratio and contrast. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.