Method and system for Compton scattered X-ray depth visualization, imaging, or information provider

• US 20080253524A1
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Science Fund, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Weaver, Thomas A., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Lord, Robert W., Boyden, Edward S., Jung, Edward K.Y., Whitmer, Charles, Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Wood, Victoria Y.H., Leuthardt, Eric C., Wood, Lowell L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,837,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/87
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/20 Detecting prohibited goods, e.g. weapons, explosives, hazardous substances, contraband or smuggled objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/222 measuring scattered radiation

Abstract

One aspect relates to at least a portion of at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualizer, imager, or information provider configured to receive an at least one Compton scattered X-ray that has scattered through a substantial scattering depth range to one or more substantial prescribed scattering depths within an at least one matter of an at least a portion of an individual based at least in part on a set of scattering characteristics, the set of scattering characteristics at least partially corresponding to the at least one matter of the least the portion of the individual; the at least the portion of the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualizer, imager, or information provider being configured for providing an at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing through one or more visualization, imaging, or information providing depth ranges to one or more visualization, imaging, or information providing prescribed depths into the at least one matter of the least the portion of the individual.

Claims

1-57. -57. (canceled)

58. A system, comprising:

an at least one emitter portion configured to apply an at least one applied X-ray to an at least one matter of an at least one portion of an individual;

at least one Compton scattered X-ray receiving assembly configured to receive an at least one Compton scattered X-ray that has scattered from the at least one applied X-ray scattering within the at least one matter of the at least one portion of the individual based at least in part on a set of scattering characteristics, the set of scattering characteristics at least partially corresponding to the at least one matter of the at least one portion of the individual; and

the at least one Compton scattered X-ray receiving assembly being configured for providing an at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing through at least one depth range to at least one prescribed depths into the at least one matter of the at least one portion of the individual.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray receiving assembly includes a correlator configured to synchronize multiple ones of the at least one applied X-ray being directed at the at least one matter of the at least one portion of the individual to scatter within the at least one matter of the at least one portion of the individual to at least partially form the at least one Compton scattered X-ray.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray receiving assembly is configured to receive the at least one Compton scattered X-ray that has scattered at multiple ones of the at least one prescribed depths, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray that has scattered at multiple ones of the at least one prescribed depths are combined to provide the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing at the at least one prescribed depths.

61. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray receiving assembly the at least one matter of the at least one portion of the individual at the at least one prescribed depths includes at least one Compton scattered X-ray receiving assembly visualizing, imaging, or providing information relating to a volume of the at least one matter from the at least the portion of the at least partially external surface of the at least one matter of the at least one portion of the individual to a prescribed depth.

62. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray receiving assembly includes at least one Compton scattered X-ray receiving assembly visualizing, imaging, or providing information relating to a volume of the at least one matter including the at least the portion of the at least partially external surface of the at least one matter of the at least one portion of the individual.

63. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one prescribed depth is a function of a frequency of the applied X-ray.

64. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one prescribed depth is a function of an energy level of the applied X-ray.

65. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray receiving assembly visualizing, imaging, or providing information relating to the at least one matter of the at least one portion of the individual at the at least one prescribed depth is at least partially performed based on at least some image subtraction or combination techniques.

66. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray receiving assembly visualizing, imaging, or providing information relating to the at least one matter of the at least one portion of the individual at the at least one prescribed depth is at least partially performed based on at least some time of flight techniques.

67. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one emitter portion is configurable to operate during normal operation in a manner that reduces passage of the applied X-ray to at least one segment of the individual, based at least in part on an insufficient energy level of the applied X-ray to pass to the at least one segment of the individual.

68. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one emitter portion includes an X-ray based emissive structure.

69. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one emitter portion includes at least one Manson source.

70. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one emitter portion includes at least one strict line source.

71. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one emitter portion includes a nanostructure X-ray based emissive structure.

72. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one emitter portion includes an X-ray based emissive structure including an electron emitter tip.

73. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one emitter portion includes an X-ray based emissive structure including an electron emitter tip, and wherein the electron emitter tip includes a triode.

74. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one emitter portion is translatable, tiltable, rotatable, or otherwise displaceable by a human user.

75. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one emitter portion is translatable, tiltable, rotatable, or otherwise displaceable by a machine-based user.

76. The system of claim 58, wherein a frequency of the applied X-ray based electromagnetic radiation applied by the at least one emitter portion is adjustable.

77. The system of claim 58, wherein an intensity of the applied X-ray based electromagnetic radiation applied by the at least one emitter portion is controllable.

78. A method, comprising:

deriving an at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing through at least one depth range to at least one prescribed depths into an at least one matter of an at least a portion of an individual in a manner based at least in part on receiving an at least one Compton scattered X-ray that has scattered within the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual based at least in part on a set of scattering characteristics, the set of scattering characteristics at least partially corresponding to the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

79. The method of claim 78, further comprising displaying the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing at least partially in response to the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing.

80. The method of claim 78, wherein the deriving the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing at a rate sufficient to substantially capture a physical motion that is consistent with an individual-based physiological process.

81. The method of claim 78, wherein the deriving the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing is performed at a rate sufficient to substantially capture a physical motion that is consistent with a user-observable physiological process.

82. The method of claim 78, wherein the deriving the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing includes visualizing, imaging, or providing information relating to a blood flow.

83. The method of claim 78, wherein the deriving the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing includes visual visualizations, images, or provided information.

84. The method of claim 78, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing is in the form of data.

85. The method of claim 78, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing pertains to the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

86. The method of claim 78, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing pertains to at least an edge of the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

87. The method of claim 78, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing indicates an aberration in the at least one matter.

88. The method of claim 78, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing indicates a cancer or tumor.

89. The method of claim 78, in which an energy intrusion level through the at least one depth range to at least one prescribed depths of the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual is less than the energy intrusion level through the entirety of a portion of the at least a portion of the individual including the at least one matter of the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

90. The method of claim 78, further comprising identifying a trend of pattern correlating to the change in state of a pattern corresponding to a macrostate.

91. The method of claim 78, further comprising applying a contrast agent in combination with the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing of the confined depth region of the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

92. The method of claim 78, further comprising producing combined depth visualizations, images, or provided information at least partially in response to the visualizations, images, or provided information.

93. The method of claim 78, further comprising:

considering information that is anatomically obtained.

94. The method of claim 78, further comprising:

considering information that is functionally obtained.

95. The method of claim 78, further comprising analyzing a pattern based at least in part on the obtaining the at least some X-ray Compton scattered X-ray information.

96. The method of claim 78, wherein the deriving the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing further comprises:

deriving a first one of the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing at a first one of the at least one prescribed depth;

deriving a second one of the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing at a second one of the at least one prescribed depth; and

computationally image combining or subtraction of the first one of the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing and the second one of the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing as to obtain the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing between the first one of the at least one prescribed depths and the second one of the at least one prescribed depths.

97. A method, comprising:

applying an applied X-ray via an at least a portion of an at least partially external surface of an at least one matter of an at least a portion of an individual into the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual;

receiving an Compton scattered X-ray that have been at least partially Compton scattered by the applied X-ray being Compton scattered within the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual, the Compton scattered X-rays having a set of scattering characteristics at least partially corresponding to the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual; and

selectively Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizing the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual at a at least one prescribed depth from the at least the portion of the at least partially external surface of the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual into the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual at least partially in response to the receiving a Compton scattered X-ray.

98. A method, comprising:

applying an applied X-ray to an at least one matter of an at least a portion of an individual such as at least some of the applied X-ray is scattered within the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual, wherein the applied X-ray has a first energy level;

detecting a Compton scattered X-ray being scattered by at least a portion of the applied X-ray, wherein the scattered X-ray has a second energy level; and

geometrically determining, based at least in part on the difference between the first energy level and the second energy level, a position of an at least one scattering event of the applied X-ray within the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

99. The method of claim 98, wherein the geometrically determining, based at least in part on the difference between the first energy level and the second energy level, a position of the at least one scattering event of the applied X-ray within the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual is obtained at least in part based on a determined set of scattering characteristics, the determined set of scattering characteristics at least partially corresponding to the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual corresponding to the at least one scattering event.