Secondary X-Ray Imaging Technique for Diagnosing a Health Condition

• US 20080159473A1
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrea Loren Clay
• Original Assignee: Andrea Loren Clay
• Inventors: Clay, Haile Selassie
• Granted Patent: US 7,643,609 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/45
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/076 X-ray fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/223 by irradiating the sample with X-rays or gamma-rays and by measuring X-ray fluorescence

Abstract

A beam of electronic charges and a standing wave laser beam are generated. The beam of charges is collided with the standing wave laser beam at a substantial angle to generate a burst cone of high energy x-rays. The x-ray cone is split, collimated and steered to a collapse point of diagnosis within a patient'"'"'s body. A selected volume of the patient'"'"'s body is scanned for diagnosis by directing subsequent burst cones at an array of points within the volume. The fluorescence spectra are detected from each of the points resulting from the high energy x-ray scanning. A chart is generated distinguishing fluorescence spectra emitted from various points within the volume.

Claims

1. A method of scanning a patient with radiation to diagnose a condition, comprising:

(a) generating a beam of electronic charges;

(b) generating a standing wave laser beam;

(c) colliding the beam of charges with the standing wave laser beam, including intersecting the standing wave laser beam and beam of charges at a substantial angle to generate a burst cone of high energy x-rays;

(d) steering the high energy x-ray cone to a collapse point of diagnosis within a patient'"'"'s body;

(e) scanning a selected volume (3-D) of the patient'"'"'s body for the diagnosis by directing subsequent burst cones at an array of points within the volume;

(f) detecting fluorescence spectra resulting from the high energy x-ray scanning of the array of points which provide pixels of a 3-D graphic; and

(g) rendering a digitally-processed image of results of the detecting at a digital rendering device, display or printer, or combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing the fluorescence spectra to determine tissue properties.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the scanning and detecting of the selected patient volume to obtain temporal information (4-D).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said selected volume is scanned without rotating the patient relative to the propagation direction of the burst cones.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising collimating and splitting the burst cone into multiple pathways for sequential incidence at said points within said volume.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the 3-D graphic which differentiates tissues having differing fluorescence characteristics.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating of the standing wave laser beam comprises splitting a single beam and intersecting the split beams for providing relative temporally control of said split beams.

8. A chart of a selected volume of a patient'"'"'s body rendered on a digital rendering device, display or printer, or combinations thereof, distinguishing fluorescence spectra from various points within the volume emitted as a result of performance of the following method:

(a) generating a beam of electronic charges;

(b) generating a standing wave laser beam;

(c) colliding the beam of charges with the standing wave laser beam, including intersecting the standing wave laser beam and beam of charges at a substantial angle to generate a burst cone of high energy x-rays;

(d) steering the high energy x-ray cone to a collapse point of diagnosis within a patient'"'"'s body;

(e) scanning a selected volume (3-D) of the patient'"'"'s body for the diagnosis by directing subsequent burst cones at an array of points within the volume; and

(f) detecting fluorescence spectra resulting from the high energy x-ray scanning of the array of points which provide pixels of a 3-D graphic.

9. The chart of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises analyzing the fluorescence spectra to determine tissue properties.

10. The chart of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises repeating the scanning and detecting of the selected patient volume to obtain temporal information (4-D).

11. The chart of claim 8, wherein said selected volume is scanned without rotating the patient relative to the propagation direction of the burst cones.

12. The chart of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises collimating and splitting the burst cone into multiple pathways for sequential incidence at said points within said volume.

13. The chart of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises generating the 3-D graphic which differentiates tissues having differing fluorescence characteristics.

14. The chart of claim 8, wherein the generating of the standing wave laser beam comprises splitting a single beam and intersecting the split beams for providing relative temporally control of said split beams.

15. A system for scanning a patient with radiation to diagnose a condition, comprising:

(a) a set of one or more lasers for generating a standing wave laser beam disposed in an electron beam path;

(b) an x-ray collimator for capturing one or more burst cones of secondary x-rays generated from collisions between the electron beam and the standing wave laser beam;

(c) a magnetic steering arrangement for directing the secondary x-ray burst cones for scanning an array of points within a selected volume of a patient'"'"'s body; and

(d) a fluorescence detector for capturing fluorescence spectra emanating from said array of points within said volume of said patient.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a computer for analyzing the fluorescence spectra to determine tissue properties.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the x-ray collimator comprises a splitter for generating two pathways of burst cones.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the set of sequentially pulsed lasers for generating of the standing wave laser beam comprise two lasers powered with a same power supply for relatively temporally controlling said two beams.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the set of sequentially pulsed lasers for generating of the standing wave laser beam comprise a single laser and optics for splitting a single beam and intersecting the split beams for providing relative temporally control of said split beams.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising programming for generating a 3-D graphic formed from pixels corresponding to scanning the array of points.