Irradiation apparatus

1 . An irradiation apparatus, comprising:

a shielded housing;

a plurality of ionising radiation source points configured to output ionising radiation, wherein the plurality of ionising radiation source points is a first array distributed around an irradiation volume and the first array of ionising radiation source points is configured to direct ionising radiation inwardly to the irradiation volume;

a transport apparatus configured to support at least one sample to be irradiated, wherein the transport apparatus is configured to transport samples along a linear path through the irradiation volume;

a detector array; and

a controller configured to control operation of the plurality of ionising radiation source points and the detector array,

wherein the controller is configured to:

image the irradiation volume using at least one of the ionising radiation source points of the first array and the detector array to acquire image data of the at least one sample within the irradiation volume; or

image an imaging volume to acquire image data of the at least one sample within the imaging volume, wherein the irradiation volume is linearly offset from the imaging volume along the linear path, the irradiation apparatus comprising a second array of ionising radiation source points distributed around the imaging volume, the second array of ionising radiation source points configured to output ionising radiation, and the controller is configured to image the imaging volume using the second array of ionising radiation source points and the detector array; and

irradiate the at least one sample within the irradiation volume by controlling the plurality of ionising radiation source points of the first array based on the acquired image data.

2 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first array of ionising radiation source points comprises a ring of ionising radiation source points.

3 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first array of ionising radiation source points comprise a plurality of rings of ionising radiation source points, wherein the rings are offset along the linear path.

4 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first array of ionising radiation source points comprises a rectilinear array of ionising radiation source points.

5 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the linear path is orthogonal to a plane of the first array of ionising radiation source points.

6 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a total of N ionising radiation source points in the first array, and wherein the irradiation apparatus is configured to simultaneously activate up to N of the ionising radiation source points during an irradiation cycle.

7 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to independently control operating parameters of each of the plurality of ionising radiation source points of the first array during an irradiation cycle.

8 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the operating parameters are at least one of:

an activation state of the ionising radiation source point;

an operating current and/or an operating voltage of the ionising radiation source point;

a parameter for a beam controlling device of the ionising radiation source point.

9 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ionising radiation source points of the first array comprise at least one of: a plurality of individual ionising radiation sources; an ionising radiation source with a plurality of ionising radiation source points.

10 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to operate the ionising radiation source points of the first array at a first radiation level during imaging and to operate the ionising radiation source points at a second radiation level, higher than the first radiation level, during irradiation.

11 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the first radiation level is a dose less than 0.1 Gy.

12 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to image the irradiation volume by:

activating different ones of the ionising radiation source points of the first array to emit a beam of radiation for imaging; and

using the detector array to acquire image data.

13 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to use the acquired image data to construct a three-dimensional image.

14 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the plurality of ionising radiation source points of the first array based on the acquired image data.

15 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to image the irradiation volume by:

activating different ones of the ionising radiation source points of the second array to emit a beam of radiation for imaging; and

using the detector array to acquire image data.

16 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to use the acquired image data to construct a three-dimensional image.

17 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the plurality of ionising radiation source points of the first array based on the acquired image data.

18 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine data indicative of density of a sample within the irradiation volume based on the acquired image data.

19 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine data indicative of volumetric and/or spatial distribution of a sample within the irradiation volume based on the acquired image data.

20 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a required amount of irradiation to which a sample is to be subject based on the acquired image data and to control the plurality of ionising radiation source points of the first array to deliver the required amount.

21 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 20 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the plurality of ionising radiation source points of the first array to deliver the required amount of radiation taking into account the presence of a sample holder and/or sample packaging.

22 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine at least one of:

a number of ionising radiation source points of the first array to be activated;

an operating current and/or an operating voltage of the activated ionising radiation source points of the first array;

a parameter for a beam controlling device at an ionising radiation source point of the first array;

a total duration of the irradiation.

23 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport apparatus comprises a conveyor belt.

24 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport apparatus is configured to vary a speed at which samples are moved along the linear path by the transport apparatus.

25 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport apparatus is configured to vary a position of samples during the linear path through the irradiation volume.

26 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the ionising radiation is X-ray radiation.

27 . A method of irradiating at least one sample by the irradiation apparatus of claim 1 , the method comprising:

supporting the at least one sample within the irradiation volume and transporting the at least one sample along a linear path through the irradiation volume;

imaging the irradiation volume using at least some of the ionising radiation source points of the first array and the detector array to acquire image data of the at least one sample within the irradiation volume; or imaging an imaging volume using a second array of ionising radiation source points distributed around the imaging volume and the detector array to acquire image data of the at least one sample within the imaging volume, wherein the second array of ionising radiation source points output ionising radiation, wherein the irradiation volume is linearly offset from the imaging volume along the linear path; and

irradiating the at least one sample within the irradiation volume by controlling the plurality of ionising radiation source points of the first array based on the acquired image data.

28 . The method according to claim 27 , wherein there is a total of N ionising radiation source points in the first array, and wherein the method further comprises selecting a number up to N of the ionising radiation source points to simultaneously activate during an irradiation cycle.

29 . The method according to claim 27 , further comprising independently controlling operating parameters of each of the plurality of ionising radiation source points of the first array during an irradiation cycle.

30 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the operating parameters are at least one of:

an activation state (on/off) of the ionising radiation source point;

an operating current and/or an operating voltage of the ionising radiation source point;

a parameter for a beam controlling device of the ionising radiation source point.