Patent ID: 7920673

Claim:
A method for phase-contrast imaging comprising: directing x-ray radiation (a) from a single radiation source through a plurality of pinhole apertures defined in a mask and (b) from the plurality of apertures in the mask through a phase object to be imaged, wherein the pinhole apertures have a span of less than 100 microns in each direction, and wherein the phase object includes a first composition and a second composition, the x-ray radiation passing through both the first and second compositions and a phase shift in the x-ray radiation being produced for x-ray radiation passing through the first composition relative to x-ray radiation passing through the second composition; detecting a phase-contrast signal of the x-ray radiation after the x-ray radiation passes through the phase object; and decoding the detected phase-contrast signal to generate an image of the phase object, wherein the first composition is distinguishable from the second composition in the generated image.