X-Ray Compton Scatter Imaging Using a High Speed Flying Spot X-Ray Tube

A system of Compton scatter medical X-ray fluoroscopy is investigated in this research which uses a specially constructed flying spot X-ray tube. The imaging system uses a narrow pinpoint X-ray beam which scans an object in near real time and creates a penetrating frontal view radiograph of variable penetration into the object. The results of our initial work with X-ray Compton backscatter imaging were presented in a previous paper, and this research seeks to demonstrate an improved X-ray generator which allows the radiographs to be produced much more rapidly. One application of the system may be to provide an X-ray frontal backprojection view of the moving heart epicardial surface which could be useful as a noninvasive diagnostic of cardiac function.