Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method for imaging an object of interest using penetrating radiation, comprising:(a) positioning a source of penetrating radiation and a radiation detector externally of the object of interest and with the object of interest positioned therebetween;(b) repeatedly measuring the penetrating radiation generated by the source of penetrating radiation and passing through the object of interest along each of at least one linear path extending from the source of penetrating radiation to the radiation detector and intersecting the object of interest, by: (i) exposing the object of interest to the penetrating radiation thereby allowing the radiation to pass through said object, and (ii) detecting the penetrating radiation which passes through the object of interest along each of the at least one linear path, thereby to generate a plurality of measurements for each of the at least one linear path;(c) processing the plurality of measurements for each of the at least one linear path to obtain at least one statistical parameter capable of describing a width of a temporal distribution of the plurality of measurements for each of the at least one linear path, and(d) reconstructing the image of the object of interest based on the at least one parameter describing the distribution of the plurality of measurements, thereby obtaining images of the object of interest. 2. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the penetrating radiation is detected with a detector and said measurements are obtained from signals generated by said detector. 3. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the at least one statistical parameter is capable of describing an error of the width of the temporal distribution of the plurality of measurements. 4. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the at least one statistical parameter is selected from a variance, a standard deviation, expected deviation, average absolute deviation or a moment of the distribution of the plurality of measurements obtained using the penetrating radiation. 5. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the method further includes obtaining at least one other statistical parameter capable of describing the center of the temporal distribution of the plurality of measurements for each direction of detection, and reconstructing another image of the object of interest based on the at least one other parameter. 6. The method of claim 5, characterized in that the at least one statistical parameter includes a statistical parameter capable of describing an error of the center of the temporal distribution of the plurality of measurements. 7. The method of claim 5, characterized in that the at least one other statistical parameter is selected from a mean, an average, an expected value, a median or a mode. 8. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the penetrating radiation is selected from electron beams, gamma radiation, infrared radiation, infrasound, ion beams, microwaves, radio waves, shock waves, sound, terahertz radiation, ultrasound, ultraviolet radiation, visible light, or x-rays. 9. The method of claim 1, characterized in that said plurality of measurements is selected from a plurality of intensity measurements, attenuation measurements and a field strength measurements. 10. An image processing method for determining relative movement of structures within an object of interest, comprising:(a) positioning a source of penetrating radiation and a radiation detector externally of the object of interest and with the object of interest positioned therebetween;(b) repeatedly measuring a penetrating radiation generated by the source of penetrating radiation and passing through the object of interest along each of at least one linear path extending from the source of penetrating radiation to the radiation detector and intersecting the object of interest, by: (i) passing the penetrating radiation through the object of interest, and (ii) detecting the penetrating radiation which passes through the object of interest along each of the at least one linear path, thereby to generate a plurality of measurements for each of the at least one linear path;(c) processing the plurality of measurements for each of the at least one linear path to obtain at least one parameter which describes a fluctuation of the plurality of measurements for each of the at least one linear path, and(d) reconstructing an image of the object of interest based on the at least one parameter, wherein said reconstructed image based on the fluctuation of the plurality of measurements provides information on the relative movement of structures within the object of interest. 11. The image processing method of claim 10, characterized in that the at least one statistical parameter which describes a fluctuation of the plurality of measurements is a statistical parameter capable of describing the width of the temporal distribution of the plurality of measurements for each direction of detection. 12. The image processing method of claim 10, characterized in that the at least one statistical parameter is selected from a variance, a standard deviation, expected deviation, average absolute deviation or a moment of the distribution of the plurality of measurements obtained using the penetrating radiation. 13. The image processing method of claim 10, characterized in that the penetrating radiation is detected with a detector and said measurements are obtained from signals generated by said detector. 14. The image processing method of claim 10, characterized in that the penetrating radiation is selected from electron beams, gamma radiation, infrared radiation, infrasound, ion beams, microwaves, radio waves, shock waves, sound, terahertz radiation, ultrasound, ultraviolet radiation, visible light, or x-rays. 15. A system for reconstructing an image of an object of interest comprising:(a) a source configured to emit penetrating radiation positioned externally of the object of interest;(b) a detector sensitive to said penetrating radiation positioned externally of the object of interest and opposite said source with respect to the object of interest, said detector configured to repeatedly measure the penetrating radiation generated by the source and passing through the object of interest along each of at least one linear path extending from the source of penetrating radiation to the radiation detector and intersecting the object of interest;(c) a processor having at least one algorithm that calculates at least one statistical parameter capable of describing a width of a temporal distribution of the plurality of measurements for each of the at least one linear path; and(d) an image reconstruction processor that reconstructs the image of the object of interest based on the at least one parameter describing the distribution of the plurality of measurements. 16. The system of claim 15, characterized in that said system further comprises means for holding the object of interest in a position relative to the source of penetrating radiation and the detector. 17. The system of claim 15, characterized in that said system further comprises rotational and translational means linked to the holding means for allowing collection of the substantially emitted penetrating radiation through the object of interest along a plurality of directions of detection. 18. The system of claim 15, characterized in that said system further includes a system controller means linked to said detector, said data processor means and said image reconstruction processor means for controlling the substantially emitted penetrating radiation, the production of measurements, and the processing and reconstruction of the measurements. 19. The system of claim 18 further comprising a computer linked to the system controller means. 20. The system of claim 19 characterized in that said computer includes input means for controlling the imaging system and means for storing the plurality of measurements. 21. The system of claim 15, characterized in that said penetrating radiation is selected from electron beams, gamma radiation, infrared radiation, infrasound, ion beams, microwaves, radio waves, shock waves, sound, terahertz radiation, ultrasound, ultraviolet radiation, visible light, or x-rays. 22. The system of claim 15, characterized in that said system is an environmental transmission electron microscope system, and wherein said penetrating radiation is electron beams. 23. The system of claim 15, characterized in that said system is an x-ray apparatus, and wherein the penetrating radiation is x-rays. 24. The system of claim 15, characterized in that the processor has another algorithm for calculating a statistical parameter capable of describing an error of the width of the temporal distribution of the plurality of measurements. 25. The system of claim 15, characterized in that the processor includes another algorithm for calculating a statistical parameter capable of describing a center of the temporal distribution of the plurality of measurements. 26. The system of claim 15, characterized in that the processor includes another algorithm for calculating a statistical parameter capable of describing an error of a center of the temporal distribution of the plurality of measurements. 27. The system of claim 15, characterized in that said measurements are obtained from signals generated by said detector.