US 12,253,480 B2
Methods and apparatus for determining information regarding chemical composition using x-ray radiation
Eric H. Silver, Needham, MA (US)
Assigned to Imagine Scientific, Inc., Norwood, MA (US)
Filed by Imagine Scientific, Inc., Norwood, MA (US)
Filed on Jan. 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/143,687.
Application 17/143,687 is a continuation of application No. 15/825,787, filed on Nov. 29, 2017, abandoned.
Application 15/825,787 is a continuation of application No. 14/749,592, filed on Jun. 24, 2015, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/016,203, filed on Jun. 24, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2021/0123873 A1, Apr. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. G01N 23/083 (2018.01)
CPC G01N 23/083 (2013.01) [G01N 2223/405 (2013.01); G01N 2223/423 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of determining information about a chemical composition of subject matter of interest in vivo, the method comprising:
generating broad spectrum x-ray radiation;
directing at least some of the broad spectrum x-ray radiation to irradiate a first fluorescent target configured to generate monochromatic x-ray radiation via fluorescence in response to incident broad spectrum x-ray radiation;
generating first monochromatic x-ray radiation at a first energy via fluorescence by the first fluorescent target in response to at least some broad spectrum x-ray radiation incident on the first fluorescent target;
directing at least some of the first monochromatic x-ray radiation to irradiate subject matter of interest internal to a patient in-vivo;
detecting at least some of the first monochromatic x-ray radiation transmitted through the subject matter of interest; and
determining information about the chemical composition by determining at least one element, compound and/or molecule that is present in the subject matter of interest based on the detected first monochromatic x-ray radiation and the first energy.