X-ray microscopy

The author concentrates on describing some advances in and methods of X-ray microscopy. Recent developments in X-ray sources and optics are briefly described; detector development has not been so important since fairly standard film, single-wire proportional counters or solid-state detectors may be used. This is followed by an overview of some techniques of X-ray microscopy. Contact X-ray imaging, projection microscopy, and X-ray holography, all of which are under active development are not discussed due to limitations of space. Although applications are not discussed in detail, since about 1990 the range of actual and potential applications has been growing in parallel with the development of the techniques. Current medically and biologically related applications include investigations into the early stages of osteoarthritis, the study of bone implants, the effects of radiation damage on muscle contraction and an analysis of DNA packing in mammalian sperm. In most cases explicit references are not given as most of the developments discussed have been described in detail in the proceedings of the last two international conferences on X-ray microscopy