Abstract: A method of identifying the material content of an object comprises: providing a radiation source and a radiation detector; irradiating a test object with radiation from the source; collecting at the detector system intensity data for radiation emergent from the test object; resolving the intensity data spectroscopically between a plural set of energy bands; numerically processing the spectroscopically resolved intensity data via the following steps: considering a material attenuation coefficient as a plural set of energy dependent polynomial equations in atomic number with a set of energy dependent coefficients across the said plural set of energy bands; determining a measured attenuation coefficient at each said energy band; calculating therefrom one or more orders of Compound Proton Number and/or effective mass thickness and/or density and for example a Compound Proton Number Set comprising plural order powers and preferably plural higher order powers of weighted compound atomic number.

Abstract: A method processing an image dataset of radiation emergent from a test object after its irradiation by a suitable radiation source is described which comprises the steps of: generating an image dataset comprising a spatially resolved map of items of intensity data from the radiation emergent from the test object; further, resolving the intensity data items spectroscopically between at least two energy bands across the spectrum of the source; numerically processing the spectroscopically resolved intensity data items to determine a further spatially resolved dataset of data items representative of one or more orders of Compound Proton Number and/or effective mass thickness and/or a density; generating a segmented image dataset using the said dataset of data items representative of one or more orders of Compound Proton Number and/or effective mass thickness and/or a density. The method applied as part of a method for the radiological examination of an object and an apparatus for the same are also described.

Abstract: A method for monitoring objects for example for facilitating the identification and/or authentication of objects comprises: in a first recording phase: irradiating an object with a suitable source of radiation, collecting intensity information about radiation emergent from the object, resolving the intensity information spectroscopically between at least two energy bands, and storing the resultant dataset as a reference dataset; and in a second verification phase: irradiating an object with a suitable source of radiation, collecting intensity information about radiation emergent from the object, resolving the intensity information spectroscopically between at least two energy bands, and using the resultant dataset as a test dataset; identifying the object and retrieving its corresponding reference dataset; comparing the test dataset and the reference dataset within predetermined tolerance limits, and: in the event that the reference dataset and the test dataset correspond within the predetermined tolerance li

Abstract: A method of calibration of a dataset for spectroscopically resolved radiation scanning, comprising the steps of: generating an apparatus condition specific calibration dataset of emergent radiation intensity information generated after interaction in the scanning zone of at least one standard object spectroscopically resolved into a plurality of frequency bands; providing a transferable database comprising a dataset of transferable data items of emergent intensity information for a range of component materials, each spectroscopically resolved into a plurality of frequency bands and linked to the condition specific calibration dataset; defining a reference calibration dataset; generating a transfer function between the data item and the reference calibration dataset; applying the transfer function to the transferable data item to generate a dynamic data item adjusted to the reference calibration; populating a data register with a dynamic dataset comprising a dataset of data items each dynamically adjusted to t

Abstract: Method for the identification of a homogeneous material (e.g. a liquid) in a container (e.g. a bottle) by measuring its X-ray or gamma spectrum and deriving its specific attenuation function. The method comprises building a database of the attenuation functions of empty containers, of containers filled with various fluid materials and of the contained fluid materials itself (by subtracting or devoluting the empty-container-attenuation-function from the filled-container-attenuation-function), recording the spectrum of an unknown material in a container and comparing this spectrum to the spectra in the database.

Abstract: A two step method of scanning objects to gain information about material content comprises the steps of providing a radiation source and a radiation detector system spaced therefrom to define a scanning zone therebetween. In a first scanning step, an object is moved relative to the source and detector system, intensity information about radiation incident at the detector system after interaction with the object as it passes through the scanning zone is collected, variation of intensity as the object moves through the scanning zone is used to identify anomalous structures and/or absence of homogeneity in the object. In a second, subsequent scanning step an object is located in fixed position in the scanning zone and collecting intensity information collected, analysed against a suitable functional relationship relating transmitted to incident intensity, and the results compared with a library of suitable data to provide an indication of material content.

Abstract: A method processing an image dataset of radiation emergent from a test object after its irradiation by a suitable radiation source is described which comprises the steps of: generating an image dataset comprising a spatially resolved map of items of intensity data from the radiation emergent from the test object; further, resolving the intensity data items spectroscopically between at least two energy bands across the spectrum of the source; numerically processing the spectroscopically resolved intensity data items to determine a further spatially resolved dataset of data items representative of one or more orders of Compound Proton Number and/or effective mass thickness and/or a density; generating a segmented image dataset using the said dataset of data items representative of one or more orders of Compound Proton Number and/or effective mass thickness and/or a density. The method applied as part of a method for the radiological examination of an object and an apparatus for the same are also described.

Abstract: A method of identifying the material content of an object comprises: providing a radiation source and a radiation detector; irradiating a test object with radiation from the source; collecting at the detector system intensity data for radiation emergent from the test object; resolving the intensity data spectroscopically between a plural set of energy bands; numerically processing the spectroscopically resolved intensity data via the following steps: considering a material attenuation coefficient as a plural set of energy dependent polynomial equations in atomic number with a set of energy dependent coefficients across the said plural set of energy bands; determining a measured attenuation coefficient at each said energy band; calculating therefrom one or more orders of Compound Proton Number and/or effective mass thickness and/or density and for example a Compound Proton Number Set comprising plural order powers and preferably plural higher order powers of weighted compound atomic number.

Abstract: A method for monitoring objects for example for facilitating the identification and/or authentication of objects comprises: in a first recording phase: irradiating an object with a suitable source of radiation, collecting intensity information about radiation emergent from the object, resolving the intensity information spectroscopically between at least two energy bands, and storing the resultant dataset as a reference dataset; and in a second verification phase: irradiating an object with a suitable source of radiation, collecting intensity information about radiation emergent from the object, resolving the intensity information spectroscopically between at least two energy bands, and using the resultant dataset as a test dataset; identifying the object and retrieving its corresponding reference dataset; comparing the test dataset and the reference dataset within predetermined tolerance limits, and: in the event that the reference dataset and the test dataset correspond within the predetermined tolerance li

Abstract: A method of calibration of a dataset for spectroscopically resolved radiation scanning, comprising the steps of: generating an apparatus condition specific calibration dataset of emergent radiation intensity information generated after interaction in the scanning zone of at least one standard object spectroscopically resolved into a plurality of frequency bands; providing a transferable database comprising a dataset of transferable data items of emergent intensity information for a range of component materials, each spectroscopically resolved into a plurality of frequency bands and linked to the condition specific calibration dataset; defining a reference calibration dataset; generating a transfer function between the data item and the reference calibration dataset; applying the transfer function to the transferable data item to generate a dynamic data item adjusted to the reference calibration; populating a data register with a dynamic dataset comprising a dataset of data items each dynamically adjusted to t

Abstract: Method for the identification of a homogeneous material (e.g. a liquid) in a container (e.g. a bottle) by measuring its X-ray or gamma spectrum and deriving its specific attenuation function. The method comprises building a database of the attenuation functions of empty containers, of containers filled with various fluid materials and of the contained fluid materials itself (by subtracting or devoluting the empty-container-attenuation-function from the filled-container-attenuation-function), recording the spectrum of an unknown material in a container and comparing this spectrum to the spectra in the database.

Abstract: A two step method of scanning objects to gain information about material content comprises the steps of providing a radiation source and a radiation detector system spaced therefrom to define a scanning zone therebetween. In a first scanning step, an object is moved relative to the source and detector system, intensity information about radiation incident at the detector system after interaction with the object as it passes through the scanning zone is collected, variation of intensity as the object moves through the scanning zone is used to identify anomalous structures and/or absence of homogeneity in the object. In a second, subsequent scanning step an object is located in fixed position in the scanning zone and collecting intensity information collected, analysed against a suitable functional relationship relating transmitted to incident intensity, and the results compared with a library of suitable data to provide an indication of material content.