9th International Conference on X-Ray Microscopy IOP Publishing Journal of Physics: Conference Series 186(2009)012100 doi:10.1088/17426596/186/1/01210 Imaging Study on Acupuncture points XHYan'. x Y Zhang,2 CL Liu. rs Dang. manDo,6 H SUGIYaMA HS Chen? and GhDing2 8 Laboratory(State Key Laboratory)of Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, Ching Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Physics Department, and Surface Physics Shanghai Research Center of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai 201203, China Physics Department of Y ancheng Teachers College, Yancheng 224002, China Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China DDS center, Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Yamasaki 2541, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan Photon Factory, Institute of Material Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Oho 1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan Institute of Modern Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China e Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science of Fudan University, Shangh 200433 China E-mail:xy-zhang@fudan.edu.cn Abstract. The topographic structures of acupuncture points were investigated by using the synchrotron radiation based Dark Field Image (DFD) method. Four following acupuncture points were studied: Sanyinjiao, Neiguan, Zusanli and Tianshu. We have found that at acupuncture point regions there exists the accumulation of micro-vessels. The images taken in the surrounding tissue out of the acupuncture points do not show such kind of structure. It is he first time to reveal directly the specific structure of acupuncture points by X-ray imaging 1 Introduction When people talk about Chinese medicine, the meridians and acupuncture -2 must be mentioned. They have unique effects on illness. To acupuncture some special points on human body, which are called of the acupuncture, leaso upoint) and distribute along meridians, can cure many kinds of disease or point(abby reduce pains. Unfortunately, until now no one can give a scientific explanation about how the acupuncture takes part in the process of treatment. Something is interesting, but strange. To make clear the mechanism of the acupuncture, many researchers devoted themselves to study in this field using various mode techniques. Some valuable results have been found. For example, two infrared emission bands on the surface of acupoints were observed. The gather of element Ca in acupoints was found by the X-ray fluorescence technique. Therefore, the acupoints are also called Ca pools. However, despite considerable efforts for probing the anatomy of acupoints, the characterization of structures of acupoints remains elusive In this work one kind of X-ray imaging technique, which has demonstrated enhanced image contrast for dense, highly absorbing materials was used to explore the structural character of acupoints @2009 IOP Publishing LtdImaging Study on Acupuncture points X H Yan1,2, X Y Zhang1,2, C L Liu3 , R S Dang4 , M ANDO5,6, H SUGIYAMA6  H S Chen7 and G H Ding2,8 1 Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Physics Department, and Surface Physics Laboratory (State Key Laboratory) of Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China 2 Shanghai Research Center of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai 201203, China 3 Physics Department of Yancheng Teachers College, Yancheng 224002, China 4 Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China 5 DDS center, Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Yamasaki 2541, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan 6 Photon Factory, Institute of Material Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Oho 1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan 7 Institute of Modern Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China 8 Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science of Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China E-mail: xy-zhang@fudan.edu.cn Abstract. The topographic structures of acupuncture points were investigated by using the synchrotron radiation based Dark Field Image (DFI) method. Four following acupuncture points were studied: Sanyinjiao, Neiguan, Zusanli and Tianshu. We have found that at acupuncture point regions there exists the accumulation of micro-vessels. The images taken in the surrounding tissue out of the acupuncture points do not show such kind of structure. It is the first time to reveal directly the specific structure of acupuncture points by X-ray imaging. 1. Introduction When people talk about Chinese medicine, the meridians and acupuncture [1-2] must be mentioned. They have unique effects on illness. To acupuncture some special points on human body, which are called acupuncture point (abbr. as acupoint) and distribute along meridians, can cure many kinds of disease or reduce pains. Unfortunately, until now no one can give a scientific explanation about how the acupuncture takes part in the process of treatment. Something is interesting, but strange. To make clear the mechanism of the acupuncture, many researchers devoted themselves to study in this field using various modern techniques. Some valuable results have been found. For example, two infrared emission bands on the surface of acupoints were observed [3]. The gather of element Ca in acupoints was found by the X-ray fluorescence technique [4]. Therefore, the acupoints are also called Ca pools. However, despite considerable efforts for probing the anatomy of acupoints, the characterization of structures of acupoints remains elusive. In this work one kind of X-ray imaging technique, which has demonstrated enhanced image contrast for dense, highly absorbing materials was used to explore the structural character of acupoints. 9th International Conference on X-Ray Microscopy IOP Publishing Journal of Physics: Conference Series 186 (2009) 012100 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/186/1/012100 c 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd 1