Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A source wire assembly for radiographic applications, including traversing a curved path of a radiographic projector, including:an axial core comprising a cable including a plurality of metallic strands, the axial core including a distal end and a proximal end;the distal end including a device for holding a radiographic source and the proximal end including a device for connecting to a drive apparatus; anda plurality of toroidal rings mounted on the cable, wherein a first portion of the toroidal rings are metallic shielding beads, and a second portion of the toroidal rings is at least one stainless steel spacer bead positioned to a proximal side of the metallic shielding beads. 2. The source wire assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of metallic strands are intertwined with each other. 3. The source wire assembly of claim 2 wherein each of the strands include a plurality of metal wires. 4. The source wire assembly of claim 3 wherein the plurality of metal wires within each strand are intertwined with each other. 5. The source wire assembly of claim 4 wherein the strands are intertwined in a configuration chosen from the group consisting of twisted, helix wound, woven and braided. 6. The source wire assembly of claim 5 wherein the metal wires are intertwined in a configuration chosen from the group consisting of twisted, helix wound, woven and braided. 7. The source wire assembly of claim 1 wherein the metallic shielding beads are comprised of tungsten. 8. The source wire assembly of claim 1 further including a coil spring wrapped around the core and engaging, on a first end, a stainless steel spacer bead and, on a second end, a housing of the device for connecting to a drive apparatus. 9. The source wire assembly of claim 8 wherein the housing further includes an enlarged lip with a diameter equal to or greater than that of the plurality of toroidal rings. 10. The source wire assembly of claim 9 wherein the stainless steel spacer bead engaged by the first end of the coil spring includes an undercut cylindrical slot radially outward from the core for receiving the first end of the coil spring. 11. The source wire assembly of claim 10 wherein the second end of the spring urges against the enlarged lip of the housing. 12. The source wire assembly of claim 11 wherein the enlarged lip of the housing surrounds a proximal end of the cable. 13. The source wire assembly of claim 12 wherein the device for holding a radiological source includes a blind aperture for engaging and securing a distal end of the cable. 14. The source wire assembly of claim 8 further including a spacer sleeve coaxially surrounding a portion of the cable, the spacer sleeve including a first end and a second end, the first end of the spacer sleeve abutting the device for holding a radiographic source and the second end of the spacer sleeve abutting a most distal metallic shielding bead. 15. The wire source assembly of claim 14 wherein the most distal metallic shielding bead has a lesser diameter than a diameter of other shielding beads. 16. The source wire assembly of claim 8 wherein the device for holding a radiological source further includes a capsule assembly for encasing a radiological source.