X-ray and neutron diffractometric imaging of the internal structure of objects
First Claim
1. A method for examining the structure of an object, comprising:
- irradiating the object with a plurality of beams, wherein the beams are separated from each other and simultaneously pass through the object;
detecting, for each of the beams, an intensity of diffracted radiation around a non-deflected path of the beam; and
forming an image of the object, Wherein the image comprises an array of pixels such that each pixel is associated with one of the beams and has an intensity that indicates the intensity of diffracted radiation around the non-deflected path of the associated beam.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and device for examining the internal structure of an object uses diffracted X-rays or other penetrating radiation. In one embodiment, spatial filters proximate to a source of radiation transmit an array of divergent pixel-beams which irradiate an object being examined. The object absorbs, refracts, diffracts, and incoherently scatters radiation from the pixel-beams. Spatial filters proximate to a detector block undeflected and refracted radiation which exits the object. The detector separately measures diffracted radiation for each pixel-beam. For example, an integral of the diffracted intensity around a pixel-beam provides a pixel intensity in an image of the object. Alternatively, analyzing the intensity in a diffraction pattern around a pixel-beam can identify structures and materials within the object. A non-invasive procedure identifies abnormal tissue by measuring radiation diffracted at an angle characteristic of the diffraction pattern for abnormal tissue. In one embodiment of the invention, two spatial filters which form the pixel-beams have arrays of apertures with apertures in the first and second filters along lines from the source. This allow the pixel-beams to be divergent and increases the percentage of usable radiation from the source.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A method for examining the structure of an object, comprising:
-
irradiating the object with a plurality of beams, wherein the beams are separated from each other and simultaneously pass through the object; detecting, for each of the beams, an intensity of diffracted radiation around a non-deflected path of the beam; and forming an image of the object, Wherein the image comprises an array of pixels such that each pixel is associated with one of the beams and has an intensity that indicates the intensity of diffracted radiation around the non-deflected path of the associated beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method for examining the structure of an object, comprising:
-
irradiating a first spatial filter with a penetrating radiation from a radiation source, wherein the first spatial filter has a first array of apertures formed therethrough and radiation which passes through the first array of apertures forms a plurality of beams that are separated from each other and diverge from each other; irradiating a second spatial filter with the penetrating radiation that passes through the first array of apertures, wherein the second spatial filter has a second array of apertures formed therethrough, wherein each aperture in the second array is centered along a line that passes through the source and a center of a corresponding aperture in the first array; irradiating the object with the plurality of beams, wherein the beams simultaneously pass through the object; and detecting, for each of the beams, an intensity of diffracted radiation around a non-deflected path of the beam.
-
-
8. A method for examining the structure of an object, comprising:
-
irradiating the object with a plurality of beams which diverge from each other, wherein the beams are separated from each other and simultaneously pass through the object; filtering radiation which passes through the object to remove radiation not deflected by the object and radiation refracted in the object, wherein filtering occurs before detecting intensity; and detecting, for each of the beams, an intensity of diffracted radiation around a non-deflected path of the beam. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
-
-
11. A diagnostic procedure comprising:
-
irradiating a tissue with a first plurality of beams of a penetrating radiation, wherein the beams are separated from each other and simultaneously pass through the tissue; spatially filtering radiation which exits from the tissue, wherein for each beam, the filtering selects radiation within a first range of angles with non-deflected path of the beam, and the first range includes a first angle that corresponds to a reflex found in a diffraction pattern for an abnormal tissue; and measuring, for each beam, radiation which exits the tissue at the first angle relative to the non-deflected path of that beam. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An apparatus for examining an object, comprising:
-
a source of penetrating radiation; a first spatial filter positioned to divide radiation from the source into a plurality of separate beams which simultaneously irradiate the object; a second spatial filter positioned to filter radiation from the beams which emerges from the object, the second spatial filter having an array of separate regions which are opaque to the penetrating radiation, wherein each opaque region corresponds to one of the beams and is positioned and sized to block radiation from the corresponding beam which passes undeflected through the object and block radiation from the corresponding beam which is refracted by the object; and a detector of the penetrating radiation positioned to measured radiation from the beams, which passes through the second filter. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
Specification