X-ray fluorescence visualizer, imager, or information provider

• US 8,041,005 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Science Fund, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wood, Lowell L Jr., Wood, Victoria Y. H., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Weaver, Thomas A., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Lord, Robert W., Boyden, Edward S., Whitmer, Charles, Jung, Edward K. Y., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SONG, HOON K
• Application Number:
  US11/906,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20090086905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 378 44- 50, 378/62
• 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

One aspect relates to inducing at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon within an at least some matter of an at least a portion of an at least one individual responsive to a substantial single input energy event based at least partially on an at least some input energy being applied to the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual; and detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon; and X-ray fluorescence visualizing, imaging, or information providing within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual responsive to the detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

inducing at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon within an at least some matter of an at least a portion of an at least one individual responsive to a single input energy event based at least partially on an at least some input energy being applied to the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual;

detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon; and

X-ray fluorescence imaging within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual responsive to the detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon;

wherein the detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon comprises detecting a spectral feature of the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon.

2. A method, comprising:

inducing at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon within an at least some matter of an at least a portion of an at least one individual responsive to a single input energy event based at least partially on an at least some input energy being applied to the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual;

detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon; and

X-ray fluorescence imaging within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual responsive to the detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon;

wherein the X-ray fluorescence imaging-within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual is substantially based on an amount of at least one selected element included in or contained within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the single input energy event comprises energy applied from a substantially distinct location of emission of the at least some input energy, a substantially distinct direction of emission of the at least some input energy, and a substantially distinct time of emission of the at least some input energy.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the single input energy event comprises energy applied from a substantially distinct location of emission of the at least some input energy, and a substantially distinct direction of emission of the at least some input energy.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the single input energy event comprises energy applied from a substantially distinct location of emission of the at least some input energy, and a substantially distinct time of emission of the at least some input energy.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the single input energy event comprises energy applied from a substantially distinct direction of emission of the at least some input energy, and a substantially distinct time of emission of the at least some input energy.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the single input energy event comprises energy applied with a substantially distinct location of induced X-ray fluorescence within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the single input energy event comprises energy applied from a substantially distinct location and orientation of emission of the at least some input energy and a substantially distinct position and orientation of induced X-ray fluorescence within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon detects at least some matter density of the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon detects at least some matter composition of the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the X-ray fluorescence imaging is performed on a position-by-position basis within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least some input energy includes at least some energy from an input energy group, the input energy group includes at least one of at least some X-rays, at least some gamma rays, at least some electrons, or at least some ions.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon occurs at least partially to a prescribed substantial X-ray fluorescence depth within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon occurs at least partially to an X-ray fluorescence range of X-ray fluorescence imaging depths within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one individual includes at least one from a group of individuals, the group of individuals includes a human, an animal, an organism, and/or a plant.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual at least partially includes a group of matter, the group of matter includes at least one from at least one tissue, at least one bodily fluid, at least a portion of a bone, a boney portion, or at least one bone portion or bone fragment, at least a tooth, or a portion thereof, or an at least partially internal insert.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon has an energy of a voltage range group, the voltage range group includes at least one of greater than or equal to 1 KVolt, greater than or equal to 10 Kvolts, or greater than or equal to 100 KVolts.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein the X-ray fluorescence imaging further comprises:

anatomically X-ray fluorescence imaging.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein the X-ray fluorescence visualizing, imaging, or providing information further comprises:

functionally X-ray fluorescence imaging.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a high energy photon and/or particle emitter portion configured to induce at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon within an at least some matter of an at least a portion of an at least one individual responsive to a single input energy event based at least partially on an at least some input energy being applied to the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual;

a X-ray fluorescence photon receiving portion configured to detect the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon; and

the X-ray fluorescence photon receiving portion configured to X-ray fluorescence image within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual responsive to the X-ray fluorescence photon receiving portion configured to detect the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon;

wherein the X-ray fluorescence photon receiving portion is configured to X-ray fluorescence image within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual substantially based on an amount of at least one selected element included in or contained within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the X-ray fluorescence photon receiving portion configured to determine X-ray fluorescence event information within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual determines at least some matter density of the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the X-ray fluorescence photon receiving portion configured to determine X-ray fluorescence event information within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual determines at least some matter composition of the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon has an energy of a voltage range group, the voltage range group includes at least one of greater than or equal to 1 KVolt, greater than or equal to 10 Kvolts, or greater than or equal to 100 KVolts.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the X-ray fluorescence photon receiving portion comprises at least one photodetector.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the X-ray fluorescence photon receiving portion comprises at least one X-ray spectrometer.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the high energy photon and/or particle emitter portion relies at least partially upon energy applied from an energy accumulator.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the high energy photon and/or particle emitter portion includes an X-ray based emissive structure.

29. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the high energy photon and/or particle emitter portion includes an electron emissive structure.

30. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the high energy photon and/or particle emitter portion includes an ion emissive structure.

31. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the high energy photon and/or particle emitter portion is translatable, tiltable, rotatable, or otherwise displaceable by a human user.

32. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the high energy photon and/or particle emitter portion is translatable, tiltable, rotatable, or otherwise displaceable by a machine-based user.

33. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein an intensity of the at least one applied high energy photon and/or particle based electromagnetic radiation applied by the high energy photon and/or particle emitter portion is controllable.

34. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein an at least an operative portion of the apparatus is translatable, tiltable, rotatable, or otherwise displaceable by a machine-based user.

35. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein an at least one timing of the at least one applied high energy photon and/or particle based electromagnetic radiation applied by the high energy photon and/or particle emitter portion is controllable.

36. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein an at least one energy of the at least one applied high energy photon and/or particle based electromagnetic radiation applied by the high energy photon and/or particle emitter portion is controllable.

37. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein an at least one location of the at least one applied high energy photon and/or particle based electromagnetic radiation applied by the high energy photon and/or particle emitter portion is controllable.

38. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein an at least one direction of the at least one applied high energy photon and/or particle based electromagnetic radiation applied by the high energy photon and/or particle emitter portion is controllable.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

a high energy photon and/or particle emitter portion configured to induce at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon within an at least some matter of an at least a portion of an at least one individual responsive to a single input energy event based at least partially on an at least some input energy being applied to the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual;

a X-ray fluorescence photon receiving portion configured to detect the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon; and

the X-ray fluorescence photon receiving portion configured to X-ray fluorescence image within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual responsive to the X-ray fluorescence photon receiving portion configured to detect the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon;

wherein the X-ray fluorescence photon receiving portion comprises at least one energy level detector.