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 an array distributed around an irradiation volume and the 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 within the irradiation volume, wherein the transport apparatus is configured to rotate about a first rotational axis lying within 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 and the detector array to acquire image data of the at least one sample within the irradiation volume, and

irradiate the at least one sample within the irradiation volume by controlling the plurality of ionising radiation source points based on the acquired image data, wherein the controller is configured to use a lower radiation dose during imaging compared to during irradiation.

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

3 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the array of ionising radiation source points comprise a plurality of rings of ionising radiation source points, wherein the rings are offset along a longitudinal axis passing through the plurality of rings.

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

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

6 . 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 during an irradiation cycle.

7 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 6 , 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.

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

9 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport apparatus comprises a turntable which is configured to rotate about the first rotational axis lying within the irradiation volume.

10 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the transport apparatus comprises a plurality of sample holders each with a respective second axis of rotation and wherein the transport apparatus is configured to also rotate the sample holders about their respective second axes.

11 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the detector array extends in an axial direction and wherein the controller is further configured to image an axial dimension of the irradiation volume using the detector array.

12 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the detector array and transport apparatus are configured to move relative to each other in the axial direction to image an axial dimension of the irradiation volume.

13 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the transport apparatus is configured to move axially while the detector array remains stationary, or wherein the detector array is configured to move axially while an axial position of the transport apparatus remains constant.

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

activating a first radiation source point to emit a beam of radiation for imaging;

controlling the transport apparatus to rotate about the first rotational axis; and

using the detector array to acquire image data.

15 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to repeatedly or continuously acquire image data as the transport apparatus is configured to rotate a complete revolution about the first rotational axis.

16 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to use image data to construct a three-dimensional image.

17 . 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.

18 . 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.

19 . 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 to deliver the required amount.

20 . The irradiation apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the plurality of ionising radiation source points to deliver the required amount of radiation taking into account the presence of a sample holder and/or sample packaging.

21 . 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 to be activated;

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

a parameter for a beam controlling device at an ionising radiation source point;

a total duration of the irradiation.

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

23 . 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;

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

irradiating the at least one sample within the irradiation volume by controlling the plurality of ionising radiation source points based on the acquired image data, and rotating the at least one sample about a first rotational axis lying within the irradiation volume,

wherein a lower radiation dose is used during imaging compared to during irradiation.

24 . The method according to claim 23 , wherein there is a total of N ionising radiation source points and the method comprises selecting a number up to N of the ionising radiation source points to simultaneously activate during an irradiation cycle.

25 . The method according to claim 23 , further comprising independently controlling operating parameters of each of the plurality of ionising radiation source points during an irradiation cycle.

26 . The method according to claim 25 , 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.