News

TV report on new X-ray technology for diagnosis of Covid-19

December 28 at 5:30 pm, Sat.1 Bayern

On December 28 at 5:30 pm, Sat.1 Bayern reported about a new X-ray technology that could be used to diagnose Covid-19. Dark-field X-ray imaging is a novel technology developed by Franz Pfeiffer, Professor of Biomedical Physics and Director of the Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering (MIBE) at the Technical University of Munich.

Conventional X-ray imaging is based on the particle character of X-ray light. Light is attenuated as it passes through the tissue and it is thus possible to depict an X-ray shadow picture. However, fine distinctions between healthy and diseased tissue are only barely visible with this conventional method. In contrast, the new technology dark-field X-ray imaging utilizes the wave character of X-ray light. By employing fine gratings, light scattering is used to obtain additional image information about the tissue. This is especially beneficial for imaging the lungs, as changes in the fine alveoli of the lungs can be visualized with this technology.

How the method could be used to diagnose Covid-19 and if there are potential applications in the field of computer tomography (CT) is the subject of ongoing research.

The video report is part of a documentary with two episodes on the Corona Pandemic, which will be broadcasted on Sat.1 Bayern on December 27 and 28.   Click here to see the video.