X-ray backscatter mobile inspection van and method of inspection

摘要

An inspection system based upon an enclosed conveyance such as a van (10), capable of road travel, for inspecting objects of inspection that may include persons. The conveyance is characterized by an enclosing body, or skin. A source of penetrating radiation (30) and a spatial modulator for forming the penetrating radiation into a beam, both contained entirely within the body of the enclosed conveyance, irradiate an object (12) with a time-variable scanning profile. A detector module (100) generates a scatter signal based on penetrating radiation scattered by contents of the object, while a relative motion sensor (18) generates a relative motion signal based on a relative disposition of the conveyance and the inspected object. An image is formed of the contents of the object based in part on the scatter signal and the relative motion signal. A detector, which may be separate or part of the scatter detector module, may exhibit sensitivity to decay products of radioactive material.