X-ray detector system having low Z material panel
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for detecting concealed items on or in an object by utilizing a low Z material panel. The object to be scanned is located between an x-ray detector and the low Z material panel. The method includes producing a pencil beam of x-rays from an x-ray source directed toward the object, scanning the beam of x-rays over the object, and detecting x-rays scattered from the beam of x-rays as a result of interacting with the object and the low Z material panel. The apparatus includes an x-ray source to produce a pencil beam of x-rays directed toward the object, a scanner to scan the beam of x-rays over the object, and the detector to detect x-rays scattered from the beam of x-rays as a result of interacting with the object and the low Z material panel.
1. A method for detecting concealed items on or in an object, the method comprising:
producing a pencil beam of x-rays from an x-ray source directed toward said object;
scanning said beam of x-rays over the surface of said object; and
detecting x-rays scattered from said beam of x-rays as a result of interacting with said object and a low Z material panel, said object located between said detector and said panel, said detecting comprising differentiating x-rays back scattered by the object from those back scattered by the low Z material panel,
wherein said pencil beam of x-rays exposes said object to an x-ray dose in the range of about 1 microRem to about 10 microRem.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a signal representative of the intensity of the x-rays scattered.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising presenting said signal on a display.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said low Z material panel is made polyethylene.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said low Z material panel is made of epoxy.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said low Z material panel is made of water.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising a radiation shield coupled to said low Z material panel, said low Z material panel located between said object and said radiation shield.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said radiation shield comprises an x-ray absorbing material.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said x-ray absorbing material is steel.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein said x-ray absorbing material is lead.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein said radiation shield is about 1 mm thick.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein said low Z material panel is located above said object.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein said low Z material panel is located below said object.
14. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for detecting concealed items on or in an object, said method comprising:
producing a pencil beam of x-rays from an x-ray source directed toward said object;
scanning said beam of x-rays over the surface of said object; and
detecting x-rays scattered from said beam of x-rays as a result of interacting with said object and a low Z material panel, said object located between said detector and said panel, said detecting comprising differentiating x-rays back scattered by the object from those back scattered by the low Z material panel,
wherein said pencil beam of x-rays exposes said object to an x-ray dose in the range of about 1 microRem to about 10 microRem.
15. An apparatus to detect concealed items on or in an object, the apparatus comprising:
an x-ray source to produce a pencil beam of x-rays directed toward said object;
a scanner to scan said beam of x-rays over the surface of said object; and
a detector to detect x-rays scattered from said beam of x-rays as a result of interacting with said object and a low Z material panel, said object located between said detector and said panel, said detector differentiating x-rays back scattered by the object from those back scattered by the low Z material panel,
wherein said pencil beam of x-rays exposes said object to an x-ray dose in the range of about 1 microRem to about 10 microRem.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a processor to generate a signal representative of the intensity of the x-rays scattered.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a display to display said signal.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said low Z material panel is made polyethylene.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said low Z material panel is made of epoxy.
20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said low Z material panel is made of water.
21. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a radiation shield coupled to said low Z material panel, said low Z material panel located between said object and said radiation shield.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said radiation shield comprises an x-ray absorbing material.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said x-ray absorbing material is steel.
24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said x-ray absorbing material is lead.
25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said radiation shield is about 1 mm thick.
26. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said low Z material panel is located above said object.
27. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said low Z material panel is located below said object.
28. The method of claim 1 , wherein said pencil beam of x-rays exposes said object to an x-ray dose in the range of about 1 microRem to about 5 microRem.
29. The method of claim 1 , wherein said pencil beam of x-rays exposes said object to an x-ray dose of about 3 microRem.
30. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using said detected x-rays to generate an image having a coefficient of variation (CV) in the range of about 2 to about 10 percent.
31. The method of claim 28 , further comprising using said detected x-rays to generate an image having a coefficient of variation (CV) in the range of about 2 to about 10 percent.
32. The method of claim 1 , wherein said pencil beam of x-rays is generated by an x-ray tube operating at about 50 KV and 5 mA.
33. The device of claim 14 , wherein said pencil beam of x-rays exposes said object to an x-ray dose in the range of about 1 microRem to about 5 microRem.
34. The device of claim 14 , wherein said pencil beam of x-rays exposes said object to an x-ray dose of about 3 microRem.
35. The device of claim 14 , further comprising an imaging system adapted to use said detected x-rays to generate an image having a coefficient of variation (CV) in the range of about 2 to about 10 percent.
36. The device of claim 33 , further comprising an imaging system adapted to use said detected x-rays to generate an image having a coefficient of variation (CV) in the range of about 2 to about 10 percent.
37. The device of claim 14 , wherein said pencil beam of x-rays is generated by an x-ray tube operating at about 50 KV and 5 mA.
38. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said pencil beam of x-rays exposes said object to an x-ray dose in the range of about 1 microRem to about 5 microRem.
39. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said pencil beam of x-rays exposes said object to an x-ray dose of about 3 microRem.
40. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising an imaging system adapted to use said detected x-rays to generate an image having a coefficient of variation (CV) in the range of about 2 to about 10 percent.
41. The device of claim 38 , further comprising an imaging system adapted to use said detected x-rays to generate an image having a coefficient of variation (CV) in the range of about 2 to about 10 percent.
42. The device of claim 14 , wherein said pencil beam of x-rays is generated by an x-ray tube operating at about 50 KV and 5 mA.