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OwnerDavid J. Hammond, Michael W. N. Singer +5inventors
InventorsDavid J. Hammond, Michael W. N. Singer, Rudolf W. Glatthaar, Gerhard Laniewski, Sudhir N. Surujhlal, Forrester D. De Beer, Pieter G. Roos
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The invention concerns a method and apparatus for scanning bodies, typically human bodies (12) for security or medical purposes. In the method, the body (12) is scanned with a beam (20) of X-radiation of sufficiently low intensity that no physiological damage is suffered. The X-radiation transmitted by the body (12) is then converted into an optical image. The optical image is intensified and converted into an electronic image. The electronic image is manipulated to produce a scanned image of the body or a portion of the body. The scanned image is typically a video image.
A method of scanning a body, the method comprising the steps of producing a collimated beam of X-radiation by transmitting a beam of X-radiation through a collimator which includes a stack of spaced apart, parallel plates, scanning the body with the collimated beam of X-radiation by causing relative linear movement between the body and the X-ray source to take place in a direction transverse to the plates of the collimator, converting X-radiation transmitted by the body into an optical image, intensifying the optical image, converting the optical image into an electronic image and manipulating the electronic image to produce a scanned image of the body or a portion thereof.
An apparatus for scanning a body, the apparatus comprising an X-ray source for scanning the body with a beam of X-radiation, a collimator which includes a stack of spaced apart, parallel plates for collimating the beam of X-radiation, means for causing relative linear movement, in a direction transverse to the plates of the collimator, between the body which is to be scanned and the X-ray source, and imaging apparatus which includes means for converting X-radiation transmitted by the body into an optical image, means for intensifying the optical image, means for converting the intensified optical image into an electronic image and means for manipulating the electronic image to produce a scanned image of the body or a portion thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.