Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A radiographic detector panel support comprising:a body composed of a composite material sufficient to structurally support components of a radiographic detector;radiation absorbing material interspersed within the body; andwherein the radiation absorbing material has a mass sufficient to prevent detection of radiation reflected off a back cover of the radiographic detector by radiation detecting components of the radiographic detector. 2. The support of claim 1 wherein the radiation absorbing material includes one of a layer of lead and a layer of barium sulfate. 3. The support of claim 1 further comprising a layer of thermal insulating material secured to the body. 4. The support of claim 1 wherein the radiation absorbing material includes tungsten. 5. The support of claim 1 wherein the composite material includes graphite. 6. The support of claim 1 wherein the body is a planar body and is configured to separate scintillation components of a radiographic detector from a control board of electronics of the radiographic detector. 7. An x-ray detector system comprising:a scintillator configured to convert radiographic energy to light;a detector array having a plurality of detector elements to detect light from the scintillator;a control board having a plurality of electronic components to control the detector array during data acquisition and data readout; anda panel support disposed between the detector array and the control board, the panel support at least partially formed of radiation absorbing material. 8. The x-ray detector system of claim 7 wherein the panel support includes at least one layer of radiation absorbing material. 9. The x-ray detector system of claim 8 wherein the at least one layer has a surface area equivalent to that of the detector array. 10. The x-ray detector system of claim 8 wherein the radiation absorption material includes one of tungsten, lead, and barium sulfate. 11. The x-ray detector system of claim 7 wherein each detector element includes a light sensitive area and an electronics area supported by a glass substrate, and wherein the electronics area includes an electronic switch connected to a capacitive element and the control board. 12. The x-ray detector system of claim 11 wherein the electronic switch includes a thin-film-transistor designed to bias the capacitive element in an energy storage mode during data acquisition and connect the capacitive element to readout electronics of the control board during a readout mode. 13. The x-ray detector system of claim 11 wherein the panel support is further configured to support the glass substrate such that the glass substrate can withstand a point-load of 300 lbs. without fragmentation. 14. The x-ray detector system of claim 7 wherein the scintillator is comprised of Cesium iodide. 15. The x-ray detector system of claim 7 further comprising a cover housing the scintillator, the detector array, the control board, and the panel support, and the cover having a handle to facilitate portability thereof. 16. A method of manufacturing a flat panel x-ray detector comprising the steps of:providing a bulk of non-x-ray absorbing material designed to support internal components of an x-ray detector and wherein the non-x-ray absorbing material is capable of supporting the internal components when a deflective force is applied to the x-ray detector;incorporating x-ray absorbing material into the bulk; andforming an x-ray detector panel support having non-x-ray and x-ray absorbing materials. 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:fashioning a first layer of non-x-ray absorbing material and a second layer of non-x-ray absorbing material from the bulk of non-x-ray absorbing material; andsecuring an x-ray absorbing layer to the first and the second layers of non-x-ray absorbing material. 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of bonding the layers of non-x-ray absorbing material and the layer of x-ray absorbing material to one another to form a composite layered structure. 19. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of:disposing a glass substrate and detector array on the first layer of non-x-ray absorbing material;disposing a layer of scintillation material adjacent the detector array;arranging the first layer and the second layer of non-x-ray absorbing material, the x-ray absorbing layer, the glass substrate and detector array, the layer of scintillation material, and a control board in a stacked arrangement; anddisposing the stacked arrangement in a housing having a handle. 20. The method of claim 16 wherein the non-x-ray absorbing material includes graphite. 21. The method of claim 16 wherein the x-ray absorbing material includes one of lead, tungsten, and barium sulfate. 22. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of adding an x-ray absorbing material in powder form to the bulk of non-x-ray absorbing material, mixing the powder of x-ray absorbing material with the non-x-ray absorbing material, and curing the mixture.