X-ray excited luminescent chemical imaging (XELCI) for non-invasive imaging of implant infections.

X-ray excited luminescent chemical imaging (XELCI) uses a combination of X-ray excitation to provide high resolution and optical detection to provide chemical sensing. A key application is to detect and study implant-associated infection. The implant is coated with a layer of X-ray scintillators which generate visible near infrared light when irradiated with an X-ray beam. This light first passes through a pH indicator dye-loaded film placed over the scintillator film in order to modulate the luminescence spectrum according to pH. The light then passes through tissue is collected and the spectral ratio measured to determine pH. A focused X-ray beam irradiates a point in the scintillator film, and a pH image is formed point-by-point by scanning the beam across the sample. The sensor and scanning system are described along with preliminary results showing images in rabbit models.