Method for capture of small-angle scatter over wide fields of view

A method of determining estimated coherent scatter form factors for at least some model items (204, 208, 212, 216, 220) within a scan object (70, 200, 390), the method comprising:

• advancing the scan object in a Y direction through a coherent scatter scanner (320);
• exposing a series of slices of the scan object to an X-ray fan beam (12) that is in a fixed location within the coherent scatter scanner and oriented perpendicular to the Y direction of travel of the scan object;
• capturing coherent scatter data at a set of at least two X-ray detector modules (50, 52, 54, 56) wherein:
• each X-ray detector module in a fixed position relative to the coherent scatter scanner;
• each X-ray detector module limited to a small-angle field of view of not more than 15 degrees in a direction parallel to a plane containing the X-ray fan beam by at least one detector-side angle limiting element (104, 106, 108, 120);
• and
• at least two of the set of at least two X-ray detector modules are positioned on a first side of the X-ray fan beam, with each of set of at least two-X-ray detector modules on the first side of the X-ray fan beam seeing diffractions from different portions (150, 152, 154, 160, 162) of the X-ray fan beam;
• and
• combining the coherent scatter data from the at least two x-ray detector modules with a separate model of aggregate items that clusters sets of voxels in the scan object into model items to map estimated material coherent scatter form factors to individual voxels in at least some model items (204, 208, 212, 216, 220);
• and
• assuming that any voxel in a blind spot (148) that does not receive coherent scatter data from the least two x-ray detector modules has the same coherent scatter form factors as other voxels not in a blind spot within the same model item as the voxel in the blind spot.