X-ray technique for detecting explosives, drugs, cancer

Researchers at Manchester University have developed a new x-ray technique that they say could be used to detect hidden explosives, drugs and human cancers more effectively.

Robert Cernik and colleagues from the School of Materials have built a prototype colour 3D X-ray system that allows material at each point of an image to be clearly identified.

The system uses a technique developed by the scientists called tomographic energy dispersive diffraction imaging (TEDDI). This harnesses all the wavelengths present in an x-ray beam to create probing 3D pictures.

The technique improves on existing methods by allowing detailed images to be created with one very simple scanning motion, potentially reducing the time taken to create a sample scan from hours to just a few minutes.

This would eliminate the problem of radiation damage, allowing biopsy samples to be studied and normal tissue types to be distinguished from abnormal.

Cernik said, “Current imaging systems such as spiral CAT scanners do not use all the information contained in the X-ray beam. We use all the wavelengths present to give a colour X-ray image. This extra information can be used to fingerprint the material present at each point in a 3D image.”

TEDDI is highly applicable to biomaterials, with the possibility of specific tissue identification in humans. It could be used to identify explosives or illegal drugs in freight. Another potential application is in aerospace engineering, where it could be used to establish whether the alloys in a weld have too much strain.