Image enhancement of x-ray phase contrast images of micro objects

In x-ray based baggage scanning, the ability to identify small devices (e.g. detonator components) and explosives in baggage or shipped parcels relies on being able to characterize the materials and details that make up an x-ray image. Recently, an improvement over existing baggage scanning techniques has been proposed in the form of a system employing x-ray phase contrast imaging, as this was shown to detect smaller/fainter features and to be more sensitive to materials textures (small-scale inhomogeneites, etc). This paper deals with additional image processing performed on the phase contrast images produced by the above system, to further improve its potential. It uses textural analysis to enhance imaged micro-structures and devices, and it has been found to be able to provide a contrast increase of up to 300% on a series of images of a phantom mimicking the presence of an explosive device plus detonator components.