TV report about TUM's corona research

2021-01-11 – News from the Physics Department

On December 27 and 28, Sat.1 Bayern reported about corona research in Bavaria. Among the key topics was 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.

The dark field x-ray technology can reveal the damage to lung tissue caused by diseases such as COPD or Covid-19. Dunkelfeld-Röntgenaufnahmen können die Schädigungen des Lungengewebes durch Erkrankungen wie COPD oder Covid-19 sichtbar machen. – Image: bavariaone

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.

Both parts of the TV-report about corona research are available in the Sat.1 Bayern media library (in German):

• Video report part 1 „Medikament gegen Long Covid: Wie weit ist die Forschung?“

  Long Covid drug: How far is the research? (duration approx. 25 min)
• Video report part 2 „Kampf gegen Corona: Wie können Röntgenstrahlen helfen?“

  Fight against corona: How can x-rays help? (duration approx. 25 min)

The availability of content in media libraries may be limited.