%0 Thesis %A Carnibella, Richard %D 2017 %T Phase Contrast X-ray Imaging in the Lungs: A Technique to Study Dynamic Alveolar Function %U https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/thesis/Phase_Contrast_X-ray_Imaging_in_the_Lungs_A_Technique_to_Study_Dynamic_Alveolar_Function/5193328 %R 10.4225/03/5965506235929 %2 https://bridges.monash.edu/ndownloader/files/16378880 %K Phase contrast %K Lung function %K Dynamic imaging %K X-ray imaging %K Functional imaging %K X-ray speckle %K Alveolar mechanics %K Biomedical Engineering not elsewhere classified %K Biophysics %X This thesis develops techniques for studying the lungs, and in particular the dynamic behaviour of the smallest air sacs, known as alveoli, during breathing. This is possible using an X-ray imaging technique known as phase contrast X-ray imaging, in which images of the lungs have a strongly speckled appearance. By decoding this speckle pattern, it is possible to extract information about the size of the alveoli from a single X-ray image. The potential applications of this research include detecting lung diseases like emphysema earlier and as a tool to monitor the progress of disease and the response to treatment. %I Monash University