 correlating the elemental density image thus obtained with an X-ray image of the same object. In one embodiment, the determination is further facilitated through the use of an Artificial Neural System, or equivalent parallel distributed network. Use of an ANS advantageously results in a PD for the system that is increased and/or a PFA of the system that is decreased over that which is achievable using conventional standard decision analysis.
In one embodiment, the inorganic scintillator is sodium iodide, and two oppositely disposed C-ring detectors having their open ends facing each other are used to provide for a complete profile of each slice or plane along all four sides. In addition, the gamma ray detectors may be formed of sets of detectors in rows and columns to increase the detection capability by receiving additional gamma rays produced by the interaction of the thermal neutrons and nitrogen in the cavity. The present invention, therefore, provides for a greater resolution and efficiency in the detection of potentially explosive material and, because this is accomplished in a fast period of time, also provides for an adequate throughput of the luggage or parcels through the detection system.
While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the allowed claims. For example, instead of using a TNA-based system to probe or scan the luggage or parcels in order to cause the characteristic gamma rays to be emitted from the materials contained within the luggage or parcels, other equivalent or similar systems could be used. For example, an FNA (fast neutron activation) system could be used. So long as gamma rays or other indicia representative of the composition of the materials within the parcel or luggage are generated, and so long as a suitable detection system or mechanism is used to quantitatively sense the gamma rays or other indicia, an ANS system as described herein may be used to analyze the detected radiation (gamma rays or other indicia) for the purpose of determining whether explosive or other materials are present within the parcel or luggage. Advantageously, the ANS portion of such a detection system may perform its function of discriminating between parcels with and without the materials of interest simply by learning from examples, as opposed to being programmed with complex algorithms based on conventional statistical analysis techniques.
Particular features of the invention are set forth in the claims that follow.
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