Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A system for obtaining a stereoscopic x-ray image of a target, comprising:at least one housing;a pair of spaced apart x-ray tubes within the at least one housing, each x-ray tube generating x-rays when energized;a collimator associated with each x-ray tube, a longitudinal axis of each collimator being aligned between its associated x-ray tube and the target, each collimator filtering the x-rays from its associated x-ray tube such that x-rays not travelling towards the target are limited; anda digital image sensor spaced opposite the target from the collimators, the digital image sensor for detecting x-rays from the x-ray tubes and outputting sensor data for each x-ray tube for forming the stereoscopic x-ray image. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:a processor in communication with the digital image sensor, the processor receiving the sensor data and outputting image data; anda display in communication with the processor, the display receiving the image data and outputting the stereoscopic x-ray image for viewing. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the display further comprises a filter to restrict viewing of a portion of the stereoscopic x-ray image corresponding to x-rays detected by the sensor from one of the x-ray tubes to viewing from one eye of a viewer, a position of the eye with respect to the display corresponding to a position of the one of the x-ray tubes with respect to the object. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the pair of spaced apart x-ray tubes are located within a single housing. 5. The system of claim 3, wherein the display further comprises:a liquid crystal display; andthe filter restricts an angle at which light from a pixel of the liquid crystal display can be viewed. 6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a transformer to convert incoming power to a voltage differential required to energize the x-ray tubes to emit x-rays. 7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a power switch configured to limit the incoming power. 8. The system of claim 5, further comprising a transfer switch configured to transfer energizing power from one x-ray tube to the other x-ray tube; and a timer configured to activate the transfer switch. 9. The system of claim 5, wherein the pair of spaced apart x-ray tubes are located within a single housing. 10. The system of claim 2, wherein the display comprises an eyeglass display having a separate display for each eye of a viewer, each display presenting a portion of the stereoscopic x-ray image corresponding to x-rays detected by the sensor from one of the x-ray tubes. 11. The system of claim 2, wherein the display comprises:a first display for displaying a portion of the stereoscopic x-ray image corresponding to x-rays detected by the sensor from a first of the x-ray tubes;a second display for displaying a portion of the stereoscopic x-ray image corresponding to x-rays detected by the sensor from a second of the x-ray tubes; andmeans to separately direct images from the first and the second displays to respective eyes of a viewer. 12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transformer to convert incoming power to a voltage differential required to energize the x-ray tubes to emit x-rays. 13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a power switch configured to limit the incoming power. 14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transfer switch configured to transfer energizing power from one x-ray tube to the other x-ray tube. 15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a timer configured to activate the transfer switch. 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the pair of spaced apart x-ray tubes are located within a single housing.