Methods and systems for performing differential radiography

A characterisation system for characterising an object including a basic material and additional structural features, the system comprising at least one irradiation source for generating an irradiation beam for irradiating the object to be characterised and at least one detector for detecting said irradiation beam transmitted through the object, the system furthermore comprising

• a control means adapted for controlling said characterization system to obtain at least two different basic datasets of the object for different positional configurations of the irradiation beam, the object and the detector;
• and
• an image processing means adapted for combining said at least two different basic datasets obtained for said different positional configurations and adapted for obtaining based thereon a differential image indicating the additional structural features of the object but substantially filtering out the basic material so that the basic material is not indicated in the differential image.

A characterisation system according to 34, wherein the irradiation source is adapted for generating a nonparallel irradiation beam.

A method for characterising an object including a basic material and additional structural features, the method comprising

• obtaining at least two different basic datasets of the object for different positional configurations of the object and the at least one irradiation source and the at least one detector used for imaging the object;
• combining the at least two different basic datasets obtained for said different positional configurations and obtaining based thereon a differential image indicating the additional structural features of the object but substantially filtering out the basic material.

An image processing means for use in characterisation of objects comprising a basic material and additional structural features, the image processing means being adapted for

• receiving a first basic dataset acquired for a first positional configuration and for receiving a second basic dataset acquired for a second positional configuration, different from the first positional configuration, and
• combining the at least two different basic datasets obtained for said different positional configurations and obtaining based thereon a differential image indicating the additional structural features of the object but substantially filtering out the basic material.