X-ray inspection system and method

An X-ray system for processing X-ray data to determine an identity of an object, comprising material, under inspection, comprising:

• an X-ray source for transmitting an X-ray beam, wherein said X-ray beam has a range of energies, through the object;
• a detector array for detecting said transmitted X-ray, wherein each detector in said detector array detects at least one energy level in said range of energies and outputs a signal proportional to an amount of energy deposited at said detector by a detected X-ray;
• and
• at least one processor having access to a memory for storing programmatic instructions, wherein when said programmatic instructions are executed, said processor:
• i. reconstructs a plurality of images from signals generated by said detector array, wherein each of said plurality of images corresponds to an energy level in said range of energies and wherein each pixel within each of said plurality of images represents an associated mass attenuation coefficient of the object under inspection at a specific point in space and for one energy level in said range of energies;
• and
• ii. for a given point in space, determining a mass attenuation coefficient associated with a pixel at that point in space in each of the plurality of images to yield a plurality of mass attenuation coefficients, mapping said plurality of mass attenuation coefficients against values of energy associated with each of the plurality of images, generating a graphical curve indicative of the mass attenuation coefficients of the material located at said pixel across said values of energy, acquiring from a database graphical curves indicative of mass attenuation coefficients of known materials across said values of energy, and comparing the generated graphical curve to the acquired graphical curves to determine an identity of said material and of said object.