Method and apparatus for non-invasive imaging including quenchable phosphor-based screens

An imaging system comprising:

• an intensifying screen comprising a class 1 phosphor and a class 2 phosphor, wherein emissions of electromagnetic radiation from said class 1 phosphor are quenchable by emissions of electromagnetic radiation from said class 2 phosphor when ionizing radiation is incident on said screen;
• a diffusion member positioned to diffuse the radiative emissions of said class 2 phosphor, prior to such emissions interacting with the emissions from said class 1 phosphor;
• and
• an emulsion, positioned so that the emission of electromagnetic radiation from said intensifying screen is incident on said emulsion, whereby said emulsion is exposed to the emissions of said intensifying screen;
• wherein said diffusion member has a width selected to achieve a predetermined spatial filtering effect.

An x-ray imaging system, wherein x-ray radiation is provided from a source, comprising:

• a first phosphor, positioned to absorb said x-rays, for emitting quenching radiation in response to the absorption of said x-rays, wherein said first phosphor is a class 2 phosphor;
• a source of excitation electromagnetic radiation;
• and
• a second phosphor, positioned to absorb said excitation electromagnetic radiation, for emitting quenchable radiation in response to the absorption of said excitation radiation, wherein said second phosphor is a class 1 phosphor and wherein said quenching radiation interacts with said quenchable radiation and wherein said quenchable radiation is used to form an image, wherein said class 1 and class 2 phosphors are intermixed and formed into a single layer.

An imaging system for use in relation to x-ray radiation, said system comprising:

• an intensifying screen comprising a class 1 phosphor and a class 2 phosphor, wherein emissions of electromagnetic radiation from said class 1 phosphor are quenchable by emissions of electromagnetic radiation from said class 2 phosphor when x-ray radiation is incident on said screen;
• an emulsion, positioned so that the emission of electromagnetic radiation from said intensifying screen is incident on said emulsion, whereby said emulsion is exposed to the emissions of said intensifying screen;
• and
• a diffusion member positioned to diffuse the radiative emissions of said class 2 phosphor, prior to such emissions interacting with the emissions from said class 1 phosphor, wherein the optical density of the resultant image is equalized;
• wherein said diffusion member has a width selected to achieve a predetermined spatial filtering effect.

A system for forming an image on a film in relation to x-ray radiation, said system comprising:

• a first intensifying screen comprising a first phosphor having a first k-edge for emissions of electromagnetic radiation when x-ray radiation is incident on said first screen, said first screen having a first characteristic curve;
• a second intensifying screen comprising a second phosphor having a second k-edge for emissions of electromagnetic radiation when x-ray radiation is incident on said second screen, said second screen having a second characteristic curve;
• a first emulsion, affixed to said film and positioned so that the emission of electromagnetic radiation from said first intensifying screen is incident on said first emulsion, whereby said first emulsion is exposed to the emissions of said first intensifying screen, said first emulsion having been formulated in relation to said first characteristic curve;
• and
• a second emulsion, affixed to said film and positioned so that the emission of electromagnetic radiation from said second intensifying screen is incident on said second emulsion, whereby said second emulsion is exposed to the emissions of said second intensifying screen, said second emulsion having been formulated in relation to said second characteristic curve, wherein said first and second characteristic curves are of generally opposite polarity, so that the image formed on said film by said first and second emulsions results from the addition of two images of generally opposite polarity.