How Much Faster is the X4 Poseidon Micro-CT vs the SkyScan 1272?

Figure 1: Photograph of the fossilized shell imaged on both the SkyScan 1272 CMOS Edition and the Bruker X4 Poseidon desktop micro-CT instrumentsImage quality, resolution, and the types of samples that can be studied are all factors that researchers must consider when selecting the optimal micro-CT instrument for specific applications. Key components of the systems include the X-ray sources, detectors, and sample stages, which work along with reconstruction software to support a wide range of research. In expanding on our available documentation related to the new Bruker X4 Poseidon Modular Micro-CT system, we compared the X4 Poseidon against the SkyScan 1272 CMOS Edition for imaging a small, yet surprisingly dense, fossilized shell sample.

The SkyScan 1272 is equipped with a 5µm spot size reflection X-ray source with up to 10W of total X-ray flux. The modular X4 Poseidon can be equipped with either a similar 5µm reflection X-ray source with an expanded power rating of up to 20W, or the new 2µm spot size transmission X-ray source, which is capable of up to 16W of X-ray power. For either configuration of the X4 Poseidon, the maximum X-ray power will increase 60-100% above that of the SkyScan 1272. While X-ray energy does attenuate exponentially, the increased power provided by the X4 Poseidon will unlock additional sample types or reduce artifacts arising from limited transmission through samples that may have been a challenge for the SkyScan 1272.

So How Much Faster is the X4 Poseidon Micro-CT than the SkyScan 1272?

The SkyScan 1272 is equipped with a 16MP sCMOS detector to capture high resolution images of samples, while the modular X4 Poseidon expands the detector options by having both an available 16MP sCMOS along with the ability to utilize a 7MP high-speed flat panel depending on the build configuration selected.

For this fossilized shell sample, the new X4 Poseidon produced comparable images at the same effective resolution with a 90% reduction in imaging time by making use of the new 7MP high-speed flat panel.

X-Ray Microscopic Imaging of Fossils

We directly compared a dataset from SkyScan 1272 at an isotropic voxel size of 8µm against a dataset from the modular X4 Poseidon desktop micro-CT instrument equipped with the 16W transmission source and the 7MP flat panel detector. Since the desired imaging voxel size for the fossil, 8µm, doesn’t require ultra-high resolution, the SkyScan 1272 utilized 2×2 binning on the detector to reduce the imaging time and the X4 Poseidon utilized the high-speed flat panel detector.

To capture the fossil dataset for both instruments, we operated at the top end of the X-ray power and energy for both systems. This meant an energy of 100kV at 10W for the SkyScan 1272 and an energy of 110kV at ~16W for the X4 Poseidon.

As shown from DataViewer in Figure 2, both the SkyScan 1272 and the X4 Poseidon produced high-quality datasets from imaging the fossilized shell. There appear to be three distinct phases within the samples, based on contrast in the reconstructed datasets. There are two phases with moderate density near one another, as shown by the dark and medium-gray pixels, and then a third phase of higher density (likely inorganic or metallic in nature) that comprises the small white spheres in the reconstructed images.

When looking at volumetric renderings from both samples, Figure 3 highlights the detailed view we obtained with both instruments when examining the internal structures and features for the fossilized shell. Both datasets have similar levels of detail, with the SkyScan 1272 dataset requiring about 90 minutes for imaging and the X4 Poseidon dataset being acquired in only 9 minutes.

From our reconstructed X4 Poseidon dataset, we imported the voxel-based dataset into Simpleware ScanIP software with the CAD add-on module. This allowed us to segment into volumetric models based on global threshold values to isolate the two medium density phases as well as the high-density spheres. Maverick Render Indie then allowed us to apply colors and textures to the models, as shown in Figure 4.

Conclusion

A consistent standard in high-resolution desktop micro-CT imaging, the SkyScan 1272 remains an excellent instrument for high-resolution imaging of organic samples and even some inorganic samples such as this fossilized shell. Building on the success of the SkyScan 1272, we are excited to see the progress achieved by the modular X4 Poseidon as the heir apparent to the SkyScan 1272 and SkyScan 1275 product lines. With the modular design of the X4 Poseidon, each system will be custom-built, tailored to the needs of your individual laboratory, optimizing your investment in technologies that are useful to your work instead of a one-size-fits-all approach. This provides resolution from the new X4 Poseidon on par with the SkyScan 1272 at imaging times on par with the SkyScan 1275.

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Scan Specifications

These scans were completed on our SkyScan 1272 micro-CT system at the Micro Photonics Imaging Laboratory in Allentown, PA along with a prototype X4 Poseidon micro-CT system at the Bruker AXS Headquarters in Madison, WI. Reconstructions were completed using NRecon 2.0 while visualization and volumetric inspection of the 2D and 3D results were completed using DataViewer and CTVox. The fossilized shell was converted to a STL volumetric model using Synopsys’ Simpleware ScanIP software with the CAD add-on module (Synopsys, Inc., Mountain View, USA) before 3D rendering using Maverick Render Indie (Random Control, Madrid, Spain).

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References

*Simpleware software (Synopsys, Inc., Mountain View, USA) enables you to comprehensively process 3D image data (MRI, CT, micro-CT, FIB-SEM…) and export models suitable for CAD, CAE and 3D printing. Use Simpleware software’s capabilities to visualize, analyze, and quantify your data, and to export models for design and simulation workflows. Simpleware™ is a trademark of Synopsys, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.