Simplified retrieval method for Edge Illumination X-ray phase contrast imaging allowing multi-modal imaging with fewer input frames.

We present data from an implementation of Edge Illumination (EI) that uses a detector aperture designed for increasing dynamic range, suitable for clinically relevant X-ray energies and demonstrated here using synchrotron radiation. By utilising a sufficiently large crosstalk between pixels, this implementation enables single-scan imaging for phase and absorption, and double-scan for phase, absorption and dark field imaging. The presence of the detector mask enables a direct comparison between conventional EI and beam tracking (BT), which we conduct through Monte Carlo and analytical modelling in the case of a single-scan being used for the retrieval of all three contrasts. In the present case, where the X-ray beam width is comparable to the pixel size, we provide an analysis on best-positioning of the beam on the detector for accurate signal retrieval. Further, we demonstrate an application of this method by distinguishing different concentrations of microbubbles via their dark field signals at high energy using an EI system.