Image restoration in X-ray microscopy: PSF determination and biological applications
IEEE Trans. on Image Process.. 1998-01-01; 7(2): 258-263
DOI: 10.1109/83.661006
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1. IEEE Trans Image Process. 1998;7(2):258-63. doi: 10.1109/83.661006.
Image restoration in X-ray microscopy: PSF determination and biological
applications.
Lehr J(1), Sibarita JB, Chassery JM.
Author information:
(1)FE Röntgenphysik, Universität Göttingen, Germany.
In this work, we show that digital image processing methods can be applied to
enhance the quality of X-ray microscopic images. One application of X-ray
microscopy is imaging of biological specimens in their natural aqueous
environment. Since X radiation can introduce structural changes in these objects
when observing them at room temperature, it is sometimes necessary to take images
with short exposure time. The image quality can thus be reduced due to low
signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Digital image processing methods can be applied to
reduce image degradation caused by noise. Another example of a digital image
processing method we applied to X-ray microscopy images is contrast enhancement
of structures near the resolution limit of the microscope. Structures of 20 nm in
size, which show weak contrast in the original image, become more clearly visible
after restoration. Since image restoration methods are based on the knowledge of
the optical transfer function (OTF) or the point spread function (PSF), a handy
method for quick PSF determination is presented. An iterative image-restoration
method was applied to pictures obtained with the Gottingen transmission X-ray
microscope at BESSY. Results of image quality enhancement by this method are
shown for images of polytene chromosomes of Chironomus Thummi larvae,
test-structures and in situ hybridization on Xist RNA using biotinilated DNA
probe.
DOI: 10.1109/83.661006
PMID: 18267403