X-ray inspection system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9442082-B2
Application number	US-201514798195-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2015
Priority date	Apr 25, 2003
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

The present specification discloses an X-ray system for processing X-ray data to determine an identity of an object under inspection. The X-ray system includes an X-ray source for transmitting X-rays, where the X-rays have a range of energies, through the object, a detector array for detecting the transmitted X-rays, where each detector outputs a signal proportional to an amount of energy deposited at the detector by a detected X-ray, and at least one processor that reconstructs an image from the signal, where each pixel within the image represents an associated mass attenuation coefficient of the object under inspection at a specific point in space and for a specific energy level, fits each of pixel to a function to determine the mass attenuation coefficient of the object under inspection at the point in space; and uses the function to determine the identity of the object under inspection.

First claim

We claim:

1. An X-ray system for processing X-ray data to determine an identity of an object under inspection, comprising:
an X-ray source for transmitting a plurality of X-rays, wherein said X-rays have a range of energies, through the object; and
a detector array for detecting said transmitted X-rays, wherein said detector array comprises a first set of detectors and a second set of detectors, wherein each of said first set of detectors comprise scintillator material and a filter configured relative to the scintillator material such that the transmitted X-rays pass through the filter before passing through the scintillator material, wherein each of said second set of detectors comprise scintillator material and do not comprise a filter, and wherein 1% to 4% of the detector array comprises the first set of detectors and wherein 99% to 96% of the detector array comprises the second set of detectors.

2. The X-ray system of claim 1 wherein the filter comprises copper with a thickness ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 mm.

3. The X-ray system of claim 1 wherein the first set of detectors detect a higher net energy X-ray spectrum than the second set of detectors.

4. The X-ray system of claim 1 wherein the first set of detectors and the second set of detectors are arranged in a tessellated pattern in the detector array.

5. The X-ray system of claim 1 wherein the first set of detectors and the second set of detectors are arranged in alternating rows in the detector array.

6. The X-ray system of claim 1 wherein output signals from said first set of detectors are used to generate a first image and wherein output signals from said second set of detectors are used to generate a second image.

7. The X-ray system of claim 6 wherein the first image has a lower resolution than said second image.

8. The X-ray system of claim 7 wherein the first image has a higher energy than said second image.

9. The X-ray system of claim 8 wherein the first image and second image are used in combination to generate a dual energy analysis of said object.

Assignees

• Rapiscan Systems Inc

Inventors

• Morton Edward James
• Baldwin Francis

Classifications

• A61B6/5205

  involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data · CPC title

• A61B6/482

  involving multiple energy imaging · CPC title

• A61B6/4241

  using energy resolving detectors, e.g. photon counting · CPC title

• A61B6/4085

  Cone-beams · CPC title

• A61B6/463

  characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display · CPC title