System and method for integrating explosive detection systems

An integrated threat detection system, comprising:

• a first threat detection apparatus configured to:
• scan a scannable object in its entirety,
• identify a suspect region in an image of the scannable object, and
• generate preliminary risk value data;
• and
• a second threat detection apparatus configured to:
• scan only the suspect region of the scannable object,
• generate present risk value data based on said preliminary risk value data,
• combine and statistically process preliminary risk value data generated by the first threat detection apparatus with present risk value data generated by the second threat detection apparatus, and
• output final risk value data indicative of a presence or absence of one of a targeted material and a targeted object in the suspect region.

A method of detecting a type of threat in a scannable object, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining first threat analysis data from an entire scan of the scannable object by a first threat detection apparatus, wherein said first threat analysis data includes preliminary risk value data that includes at least one of substance and first shape threat probability data for one or more threat categories;
• obtaining second threat analysis data from a scan of only a suspect region of the suspect object by the second threat detection apparatus, wherein said second threat analysis data includes present risk value data that includes at least one of density and second shape threat probability data for the one or more threat categories;
• combining and statistically processing at least the preliminary risk value data and the present risk value data using a Bayesian likelihood function;
• and
• outputting final risk value data, wherein said final risk value data includes final threat probability data indicative of an actual presence or absence of the type of threat in the scannable object.

An apparatus configured to detect a threat in a scannable object, the apparatus comprising:

• an advanced technology (AT) scanner having dual-energy x-ray source/detector pairs,
• wherein the AT scanner is configured to obtain first threat analysis data from a scan of the entire scannable object, wherein said first threat analysis data includes preliminary risk value data that includes at least one of substance and first shape threat probability data for one or more threat categories;
• and
• a computed tomography (CT) scanner having at least one x-ray source/detector pair mounted to a rotatable gantry,
• wherein the CT scanner is further configured to scan only a suspect region of the scannable object,
• wherein the CT scanner is further configured to obtain second threat analysis data from a scan of only the second suspect region of the suspect object, wherein said second threat analysis data includes present risk value data that includes at least one of density and second shape threat probability data for the one or more threat categories,
• wherein the CT scanner is further configured to combine and statistically process at least the preliminary risk value data and the present risk value data using a Bayesian likelihood function, and
• wherein the CT scanner is further configured to output final risk value data that includes final threat probability data indicative of one of an actual presence and an absence of the type of threat in the scannable object.