Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method for detecting an image of an object, the method comprising:providing a plurality of small area X-ray sources;generating a plurality of first X-ray beams using the plurality of small area sources;positioning a plurality of monochromator crystals to intercept the plurality of first X-ray beams such that a plurality of second X-ray beams, each having predetermined energy levels, is produced;positioning an object in paths of the plurality of second x-ray beams for transmission of the plurality of second X-ray beams through the object and emitting from the object a plurality of transmitted X-ray beams;directing the plurality of transmitted X-ray beams at angles of incidence upon a plurality of analyzer crystals; anddetecting an image of the object from a plurality of beams diffracted from the plurality of analyzer crystals. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the plurality of small area sources comprises providing a single X-ray tube having multiple small area sources. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the plurality of small area sources comprises providing a plurality of X-ray tube sources for generating the plurality of first X-ray beams. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the plurality of small area sources comprises providing a collimator array adjacent a large area X-ray beam source. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the plurality of small area sources comprises providing a collimator array adjacent an X-ray line source. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the small area sources are spaced apart from each other. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the small area sources are substantially linearly arranged, and wherein the spacing of adjacent small area sources is substantially equal. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the spacing of adjacent small area sources is 0.5 cm to 25 cm. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the plurality of first X-ray beams comprises generating X-ray beams having a characteristic X-ray energy ranging from 10 keV to 70 keV. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein positioning the plurality of monochromator crystals comprises positioning surfaces of the monochromator crystals at angles of between 1 degree and 40 degrees with respect to paths of the first X-ray beams incident upon the surfaces of the monochromator crystals. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the monochromator crystals are matched in orientation and lattice planes to a respective one of the analyzer crystals. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein the monochromator crystals are symmetric crystals. 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the monochromator crystals are silicon crystals. 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the silicon crystals have one of [111] and [333]reflection. 15. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzer crystals are Bragg type crystals. 16. The method of claim 1 wherein the object is a soft tissue object. 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the soft tissue object is breast tissue. 18. The method of claim 1 wherein the second X-ray beams apply a total radiation dosage of less than or equal to about 0.5 mrad to the object. 19. The method of claim 1 wherein the detector is configured to produce a digitized image of the object. 20. The method of claim 1 wherein the detector is one of a radiographic film and an image plate. 21. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the image of the object includes detecting the image of the object from the beam diffracted from the analyzer crystals one of at or near a peak of a rocking curve of the analyzer crystal. 22. The method of claim 21 wherein the one of at and near the peaks occurs approximately one-half of a Darwin width of the rocking curve. 23. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the image of the object comprises:detecting a first angle image of the object from first diffracted beams emitted from the analyzer crystals positioned at first angular positions;detecting a second angle image of the object from second diffracted beams emitted from the analyzer crystals positioned at second angular positions;combining the first and second angle images to derive a refraction and apparent absorption image; andderiving a mass density image of the object from the refraction image. 24. The method of claim 23 wherein detecting the first angle image comprises detecting the first angle image of the object from the analyzer crystals at a low rocking curve angle setting of the analyzer crystals, and wherein detecting the second angle image comprises detecting the second angle image of the object from the analyzer crystals at a high rocking curve angle setting of the analyzer crystals. 25. The method of claim 1 wherein the monochromator crystals are spaced apart from each other. 26. The method of claim 25 wherein the monochromator crystals are substantially linearly arranged, and wherein the spacing of adjacent monochromator crystals is substantially equal. 27. The method of claim 26 wherein the spacing of adjacent monochromator crystals is 0.5 cm to 25 cm. 28. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of monochromator crystals is a plurality of first monochromator crystals, and wherein the method further comprises positioning a plurality of second monochromator crystals to intercept the second X-ray beams and to direct the second X-ray beams towards the analyzer crystals. 29. The method of claim 28 wherein positioning the plurality of second monochromator crystals comprises positioning the plurality of second monochromator crystals such that the second X-ray beams are directed along paths substantially parallel to paths of the first X-ray beams. 30. The method of claim 29 using the first monochromator crystals and the second monochromator crystals for rejecting predetermined portions of the first X-ray beams. 31. A system for detecting an image of an object, the system comprising:a plurality of small area sources configured to generate a plurality of first X-ray beams;a plurality of monochromatic crystals positioned in predetermined positions to directly intercept the plurality of first X-ray beams and wherein a plurality of second X-ray beams is produced for transmission through an object;a plurality of analyzer crystals positioned to intercept a plurality of transmitted X-ray beams at angles of incidence of the plurality of analyzer crystals; andan image detector configured to detect an image of the object from a plurality of beams diffracted from the plurality of analyzer crystals. 32. The system of claim 31 wherein the plurality of small area sources comprises one of a single X-ray tube and a plurality of X-ray tube sources. 33. The system of claim 31 further comprising: a large area X-ray source and a collimator array positioned adjacent to the large area X-ray source. 34. The system of claim 31 wherein the small area sources are spaced apart from each other. 35. The system of claim 34 wherein the small area sources are substantially linearly arranged, and wherein the spacing of adjacent small area sources is substantially equal. 36. The system of claim 35 wherein the spacing of adjacent small area sources is 0.5 cm to 25 cm. 37. The system of claim 31 wherein the first X-ray beams have a characteristic X-ray energy ranging from about 10 keV to about 70 keV. 38. The system of claim 31 wherein surfaces of the monochromator crystals are positioned at angles of between about 1 degree and 40 degrees with respect to paths of the first X-ray beams incident upon the surfaces of the monochromator crystals. 39. The system of claim 31 wherein each of the monochromator crystals are matched in orientation and lattice planes to a respective one of the analyzer crystals. 40. The system of claim 31 wherein the monochromator crystals are symmetric crystals. 41. The system of claim 40 wherein the monochromator crystals are silicon crystals. 42. The system of claim 41 wherein the silicon crystals have [333] reflection. 43. The system of claim 31 wherein the analyzer crystals are Bragg type crystals. 44. The system of claim 31 wherein the object is a soft tissue object. 45. The system of claim 44 wherein the soft tissue object is breast tissue. 46. The system of claim 31 wherein the second X-ray beams apply a total radiation dosage of less than or equal to about 0.5 mrad to the object. 47. The system of claim 31 wherein the image detector is configured to receive the diffracted beams. 48. The system of claim 47 wherein the image detector is configured to produce a digitized image of the object. 49. The system of claim 47 wherein the image detector is a radiographic film. 50. The system of claim 47 wherein the image detector is an image plate. 51. The system of claim 47 wherein the image detector is configured to detect the image of the object from the beam diffracted from the analyzer crystals one of at or near a peak of a rocking curve of the analyzer crystal. 52. The system of claim 51 further comprising a computer configured to derive at least one of a diffraction enhanced image, an absorption image, a refraction image, a scatter image, and a mass density image of the object from the detected image. 53. The system of claim 51 wherein the one of at and near the peaks occurs approximately one-half of a Darwin width of the rocking curve. 54. The system of claim 31 wherein the image detector is configured to:detect a first angle image of the object from first diffracted beams emitted from the analyzer crystals positioned at first angular positions; anddetect a second angle image of the object from second diffracted beams emitted from the analyzer crystals positioned at second angular positions; and wherein the system further comprises a computer configured to:combine the first and second angle images to derive a refraction and apparent absorption image; andderive a mass density image of the object from the refraction image. 55. The system of claim 54 wherein the image detector is configured to detect the first angle image of the object from the analyzer crystals at a low rocking curve angle setting of the analyzer crystals, and wherein the image detector is configured to detect the second angle image comprises detecting the second angle image of the object from the analyzer crystals at a high rocking curve angle setting of the analyzer crystals. 56. The system of claim 31 wherein the monochromator crystals are spaced apart from each other. 57. The system of claim 56 wherein the monochromator crystals are substantially linearly arranged, and wherein the spacing of adjacent monochromator crystals is substantially equal. 58. The system of claim 57 wherein the spacing of adjacent monochromator crystals is 0.5 cm to 25 cm. 59. The system of claim 31 wherein the plurality of monochromator crystals is a plurality of first monochromator crystals, and wherein the system further comprises a plurality of second monochromator crystals positioned to intercept the second X-ray beams and to direct the second X-ray beams towards the analyzer crystals. 60. The system of claim 59 wherein the plurality of second monochromator crystals are positioned such that the second X-ray beams are directed along paths substantially parallel to paths of the first X-ray beams. 61. The system of claim 59 wherein the first monochromator crystals are mismatched with the second monochromator crystals. 62. The system of claim 59 wherein the first monochromator crystals and the second monochromator crystals are selected for rejecting predetermined portions of the first X-ray beams. 63. The system of claim 59 wherein the first monochromator crystals and the second monochromator crystals are one of germanium and silicon monochromator crystals. 64. The system of claim 59 wherein the first monochromator crystals and the second monochromator crystals are one of germanium [333] and silicon [333] monochromator crystals. 65. The system of claim 31 comprising a computer configured for adjusting a radiation dose applied by the second X-ray beams to the object. 66. A method for detecting an image of an object, the method comprising:generating a plurality of first X-ray beams;positioning a plurality of monochromator crystals to intercept the plurality of first X-ray beams on first sides of the plurality of monochromator crystals for producing a plurality of second X-ray beams;positioning second sides of the plurality of monochromator crystals to intercept the plurality of second X-ray beams such that a plurality of third X-ray beams, each having predetermined energy levels, is produced;positioning an object in paths of the plurality of third x-ray beams for transmission of the plurality of third X-ray beams through the object and emitting from the object a plurality of transmitted X-ray beams;directing the plurality of transmitted X-ray beams at angles of incidence upon a plurality of analyzer crystals; anddetecting an image of the object from a plurality of beams diffracted from the plurality of analyzer crystals. 67. The method of claim 66 wherein generating the plurality of first X-ray beams comprises using at least one X-ray tube source for generating the plurality of first X-ray beams. 68. The method of claim 66 wherein generating the plurality of first X-ray beams comprises generating X-ray beams having a characteristic X-ray energy ranging from 10 keV to about 70 keV. 69. The method of claim 66 wherein each of the monochromator crystals are matched in orientation and lattice planes to a respective one of the analyzer crystals. 70. The method of claim 66 wherein the monochromator crystals are symmetric crystals. 71. The method of claim 70 wherein the monochromator crystals are silicon crystals. 72. The method of claim 71 wherein 7 silicon crystals have [333] reflection. 73. The method of claim 66 wherein the analyzer crystals are Bragg type crystals. 74. The method of claim 66 wherein the object is a soft tissue object. 75. The method of claim 74 wherein the soft tissue object is breast tissue. 76. The method of claim 66 wherein the third X-ray beams apply a total radiation dosage of less than or equal to about 0.5 mrad to the object. 77. The method of claim 66 wherein detecting image of the object comprises receiving the diffracted beams at a detector. 78. The method of claim 77 wherein the detector is configured to produce a digitized image of the object. 79. The method of claim 77 wherein the detector is a radiographic film. 80. The method of claim 77 wherein the detector is an image plate. 81. The method of claim 66 wherein detecting the image of the object includes detecting the image of the object from the beam diffracted from the analyzer crystals one of at or near a peak of a rocking curve of the analyzer crystal. 82. The method of claim 81 comprising deriving at least one of a diffraction enhanced image, an absorption image, a refraction image, a scatter image, and a mass density image of the object from the detected image. 83. The method of claim 81 wherein the one of at and near the peaks occurs approximately one-half of a Darwin width of the rocking curve. 84. The method of claim 66 wherein detecting the image of the object comprises:detecting a first angle image of the object from first diffracted beams emitted from the analyzer crystals positioned at first angular positions;detecting a second angle image of the object from second diffracted beams emitted from the analyzer crystals positioned at second angular positions;combining the first and second angle images to derive a refraction and apparent absorption image; andderiving a mass density image of the object from the refraction image. 85. The method of claim 84 wherein detecting the first angle image comprises detecting the first angle image of the object from the analyzer crystals at a low rocking curve angle setting of the analyzer crystals, and wherein detecting the second angle image comprises detecting the second angle image of the object from the analyzer crystals at a high rocking curve angle setting of the analyzer crystals. 86. The method of claim 66 wherein the monochromator crystals are spaced apart from each other. 87. The method of claim 86 wherein the monochromator crystals are substantially linearly arranged, and wherein the spacing of adjacent monochromator crystals is substantially equal. 88. The method of claim 86 wherein the spacing of adjacent monochromator crystals is 0.5 cm to 25 cm. 89. The method of claim 66 wherein positioning the second sides of the monochromator crystals comprises positioning the second sides of the monochromator crystals such that the third X-ray beams are directed along paths substantially parallel to paths of the first X-ray beams. 90. The method of claim 66 wherein the monochromator crystals are one of germanium and silicon monochromator crystals. 91. The method of claim 66 wherein the monochromator crystals are one of germanium [333] and silicon [333] monochromator crystals. 92. The method of claim 66 comprising adjusting a radiation dose applied by the third X-ray beams to the object. 93. The method of claim 66 wherein the first side opposes the second side on a same monochromator crystal. 94. The method of claim 93 wherein the first side of the monochromator crystals is parallel to the second side of adjacent monochromator crystals. 95. A system for detecting an image of an object, the system comprising:an X-ray generation device configured to generate a plurality of first X-ray beams;a plurality of monochromatic crystals including first and second sides, wherein the first sides are positioned in predetermined positions to directly intercept the plurality of first X-ray beams for generating a plurality of second X-ray beams, wherein the second sides are positioned to intercept the plurality of second X-ray beams, and wherein a plurality of third X-ray beams is produced for transmission through an object;a plurality of analyzer crystals positioned to intercept a plurality of transmitted X-ray beams at angles of incidence of the analyzer crystals; andan image detector configured to detect an image of the object from a plurality of beams diffracted from the plurality of analyzer crystals. 96. The system of claim 95 wherein the X-ray generation device comprises a single X-ray tube. 97. The system of claim 95 wherein the first X-ray beams have a characteristic X-ray energy ranging from about 10 keV to about 70 keV. 98. The system of claim 95 wherein each of the monochromator crystals are matched in orientation and lattice planes to a respective one of the analyzer crystals. 99. The system of claim 95 wherein the monochromator crystals are symmetric crystals. 100. The system of claim 99 wherein the monochromator crystals are silicon crystals. 101. The system of claim 100 wherein the silicon crystals have [333] reflection. 102. The system of claim 95 wherein the analyzer crystals are Bragg type crystals. 103. The system of claim 95 wherein the object is a soft tissue object. 104. The system of claim 103 wherein the soft tissue object is breast tissue. 105. The system of claim 95 wherein the third X-ray beams apply a total radiation dosage of less than or equal to about 0.5 mrad to the object. 106. The system of claim 95 wherein the image detector is configured to receive the diffracted beams. 107. The system of claim 106 wherein the image detector is configured to produce a digitized image of the object. 108. The system of claim 106 wherein the image detector is a radiographic film. 109. The system of claim 106 wherein the image detector is an image plate. 110. The system of claim 95 wherein the image detector is configured to detect the image of the object from the beam diffracted from the analyzer crystals one of at or near a peak of a rocking curve of the analyzer crystal. 111. The system of claim 110 further comprising a computer configured to derive at least one of a diffraction enhanced image, an absorption image, a refraction image, a scatter image, and a mass density image of the object from the detected image. 112. The system of claim 110 wherein the one of at and near the peaks occurs approximately one-half of a Darwin width of the rocking curve. 113. The system of claim 95 wherein the image detector is configured to:detect a first angle image of the object from first diffracted beams emitted from the analyzer crystals positioned at first angular positions; anddetect a second angle image of the object from second diffracted beams emitted from the analyzer crystals positioned at second angular positions; and wherein the system further comprises a computer configured to:combine the first and second angle images to derive a refraction and apparent absorption image; andderive a mass density image of the object from the refraction image. 114. The system of claim 113 wherein the image detector is configured to detect the first angle image of the object from the analyzer crystals at a low rocking curve angle setting of the analyzer crystals, and wherein the image detector is configured to detect the second angle image comprises detecting the second angle image of the object from the analyzer crystals at a high rocking curve angle setting of the analyzer crystals. 115. The system of claim 95 wherein the monochromator crystals are spaced apart from each other. 116. The system of claim 115 wherein the monochromator crystals are substantially linearly arranged, and wherein the spacing of adjacent monochromator crystals is substantially equal. 117. The system of claim 116 wherein the spacing of adjacent monochromator crystals is 0.5 cm to 25 cm. 118. The system of claim 95 wherein the second sides of the monochromator crystals are positioned such that the third X-ray beams are directed along paths substantially parallel to paths of the first X-ray beams. 119. The system of claim 95 wherein the monochromator crystals are one of germanium and silicon monochromator crystals. 120. The system of claim 95 wherein the monochromator crystals are one of germanium [333] and silicon [333] monochromator crystals. 121. The system of claim 95 comprising a computer configured for adjusting a radiation dose applied by the third X-ray beams to the object. 122. The system of claim 95 wherein the first side opposes the second side on a same monochromator crystal. 123. The system of claim 122 wherein the first side of the monochromator crystals faces the second side of adjacent monochromator crystals.