Title: Method for examining a body with penetrating radiation

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for examining a body using penetrating radiation which comprises: source means which generate a primary beam of said radiation, detector array means for measuring, and for generating output signals representing, scattered radiation generated in the body along the primary beam, diaphragm means disposed between the detector array means and the primary beam which define a slit shaped aperture having a longitudinal direction which is oriented at right angles to the primary beam; and a large plurality of lamellae of radiation-absorbing material disposed between the aperture and the detector array means which lamellae are disposed at least approximately in planes which intersect colinearly in and along the primary beam whereby the detector array means measure radiation which is both singly and multiply scattered in the body; the improvement which comprises:

means for generating a relative displacement between the primary beam and the diaphragm means, the detector array means, and the lamellae so that, during a portion of the examination, the planes of the lamellae intersect outside of the primary beam whereby the detector array means only measure radiation which is multiply scattered in the body; and

means which subtract output signals from the detectors which represent only said multiply scattered radiation from respective output signals which represent both singly and multiply scattered radiation to produce signals which represent only singly scattered radiation.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising drive means which function to shift the detector array means, the diaphragm means, and the lamellae in a longitudinal direction with respect to the aperture.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a stationary diaphragm, disposed between the radiation source means and the body, which defines at least two apertures which function to form a plurality of spaced primary beams;

rotatable absorber disc means, disposed between the stationary diaphragm and the body, which defines a plurality of arc-shaped apertures which are concentric with a rotational axis of the disc and are arranged in staggered formation about said rotational axis so that no more than one of the primary beams can pass through the disc means at any time; and

means for rotating the disc means about the axis.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein a first of the arc-shaped apertures is positioned to pass a primary beam in which the planes the lamellae intersect and wherein the length of arc of said first aperture is greater than the length of arc of the other apertures defined by the disc means.


Other info:


Inventors: Harding, Geoffrey (Rellingen, DE)
Wagner, Wolfgang (Hamburg, DE)

Application Number: 06/185845
Filing Date: 1980-09-10
Publication_date: 1983-04-19
Assignee: PHILIPS CORP

Primary Class(es): 378/87 378/6
Other Classes: A61B6/02; G01N23/20
US Patent Ref:

4229651	October, 1980	Danos	250/272	Radiation scanning method and apparatus
4258256	March, 1981	Harding	250/272	Device for examining a body by means of penetrating radiation
4286156	August, 1981	Wagner	250/511	Device for determining the spatial absorption distribution in a plane of examination

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Church, Craig E.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: Haken, Jack E.