Coded aperture X-ray imaging system

A method for analyzing concealed material within an enveloping surface, comprising:

• a. providing at least one array of detectors having an aperture mask interposed between the array and the enveloping surface such that radiation scattered by the material is incident onto each detector through more than one aperture of the aperture mask;
• b. measuring the radiation scattered by the material onto the array for creating a vector of signals corresponding to the detected radiation;
• c. applying an operator to the vector in such a manner as to reconstruct an image of the material scattering the radiation;
• and
• d. determining physical properties of the concealed material using the radiation scattered by the material and the image of the material.

A method for deriving a tomographic image of an object, the method comprising:

• a. illuminating the object with penetrating radiation;
• b. providing at least one detector array having a plurality of detectors having an aperture mask interposed between the detector array and the object such as to form a first geometrical configuration of the detector array, aperture mask and object, and further such that radiation scattered by the object is incident onto the detector array through the aperture mask in such a manner that each detector detects radiation scattered through more than one aperture;
• c. measuring the radiation scattered by the object onto the detector array;
• d. reconstructing a first image of the object scattering the radiation;
• e. modifying a position of at least one of the object, the detector array, and the aperture mask such as to form a second geometrical configuration different from the first geometrical configuration;
• f. remeasuring the radiation scattered by the object onto the detector array;
• g. reconstructing a second image of the object scattering the radiation;
• and
• h. comparing the first and second images so as to derive a depth component of the object.

An imaging system for analyzing material, comprising:

• a. a source of penetrating radiation emitting radiation having an energy distribution in a direction with respect to an object such as to illuminate a portion of the object up to the entirety thereof;
• b. at least one array of segmented detectors, each array of segmented detectors having a detector axis, for detecting in a manner substantially independent of the energy distribution radiation scattered by the object and providing signals corresponding to the detected scattered radiation;
• and
• c. a mask having a plurality of apertures interposed between the object and the detector array in such a manner that each segmented detector detects radiation scattered through more than one aperture;
• and
• d. a controller for applying to the signals an operator corresponding to the plurality of apertures in such a manner as to derive an image corresponding to the object.