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

• US 8,837,677 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2007
• 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: Boyden, Edward S., Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Jung, Edward K.Y., Leuthardt, Eric C., Lord, Robert W., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Rivet, Dennis J., Smith, Michael A., Tegreene, Clarence T., Weaver, Thomas A., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y.H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Allen C.
• Application Number:
  US11/888,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20080253524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,603 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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. 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 depth 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;

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 subtracting 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 depth and the second one of the at least one prescribed depth.

2. The method of claim 1, 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.

3. The method of claim 1, 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 an individual-based physiological process.

4. The method of claim 1, 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.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing includes a Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing relating to a blood flow.

6. The method of claim 1, 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.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing indicates an aberration in the at least one matter.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing indicates a cancer or tumor.

9. The method of claim 1, in which an energy intrusion level through the at least one depth range to the at least one prescribed depth into the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual is less than an energy intrusion level through the entirety of at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a trend of pattern correlating to a change in state of a pattern corresponding to a macrostate.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a contrast agent in combination with the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing through the at least one depth range of the at least one matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing combined depth visualizations, images, or information providing at least partially in response to the deriving the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing a pattern based at least in part on the deriving the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing.