A new review in the Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry by Venera Weinhardt and Carolyn Larabell charts the evolution of soft X-ray tomography (SXT) from its synchrotron-based roots to today’s lab-scale systems.

SiriusXT is proud to see our SXT-100 microscope featured, highlighting SXT’s transformation into a high-throughput, quantitative technique for imaging intact, fully hydrated cells in 3D at nanometre resolution—without staining or sectioning. Most importantly, lab-scale systems like the SXT-100 are making this advanced technology widely accessible.

Previously limited to specialist synchrotron facilities, SXT can now be used in standard labs with the SXT-100, enabling seamless integration with other imaging methods such as fluorescence and electron microscopy. This is vital as research increasingly demands multi-scale imaging – from tissue biopsies to molecular structures. The SXT-100 bridges this gap, offering natural contrast and 50 nm resolution for thick samples up to 15 μm.

This capability is transformative for studying cancer, neurodegeneration, infectious diseases, and drug delivery. The review highlights work from the Paul Scherrer Institute, where Chlamydomonas cells were imaged using the SXT-100’s integrated fluorescence-SXT workflow – just one example of its expanding research applications.

SiriusXT remains committed to advancing SXT technology, ensuring accessibility and innovation in cellular imaging. The inclusion of the SXT-100 in this review marks a shift from niche, facility-bound techniques to versatile, lab-scale platforms that drive discovery.

The future of soft X-ray tomography is here – with the SXT-100, it’s already in the lab!