X-rays pass easily through biological materials to provide unprecedented insight into the internal structure of everything from biological structures in living cells to broken bones in damaged bodies.
But biologists face something of a dilemma in making these images. The ionizing nature of X-rays can break chemical bonds, damage living cells and distort the biological structures under investigation. So biological imaging experiments must balance the need for clear images against the inevitable damage X-rays cause. That boils down to finding ways of increasing resolution while reducing exposure.
“New experimental methods to allow for low-dose, high precision measurements are urgently needed,” say Justin Goodrich at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton and colleagues.
