A method and apparatus for detecting
radiation including x-
ray,
gamma ray, and
particle radiation for radiographic imaging, and
nuclear medicine and x-
ray mammography in particular, and material
composition analysis are described. A detection
system employs fixed or configurable arrays of one or more
detector modules comprising
detector arrays which may be electronically manipulated through a computer
system. The detection
system, by providing the ability for electronic manipulation, permits
adaptive imaging.
Detector array configurations include familiar geometries, including slit, slot, plane, open box, and ring configurations, and customized configurations, including wearable
detector arrays, that are customized to the shape of the patient. Conventional, such as attenuating, rigid geometry, and unconventional collimators, such as x-
ray optic, configurable, Compton scatter modules, can be selectively employed with detector modules and
radiation sources. The components of the
imaging chain can be calibrated or corrected using processes of the invention. X-ray
mammography and scintimammography are enhanced by utilizing sectional compression and related imaging techniques.