Patent ID: 8654919

Claim:
An x-ray imaging system comprising: a first support structure oriented in a vertical fashion; a second support structure oriented in a vertical fashion and spaced apart from the first support structure to define a scanning area configured to receive a subject to be scanned; a linear x-ray source affixed to the first support structure on one side of the scanning area and oriented in a vertical fashion, the linear x-ray source comprising a distributed x-ray source having an array of x-ray sources in a linear arrangement, with each x-ray source in the array of x-ray sources being individually controllable to emit x-rays towards the subject; a linear detector arrangement positioned vertically on and affixed to the second support structure on another side of the scanning area and generally opposite the linear x-ray source and configured to receive x-rays after passing through the subject; and a computer to control operation of the linear x-ray source, the computer programmed to control a radiation source controller configured to individually activate x-ray sources in the array of x-ray sources of the distributed x-ray source so as to emit x-rays towards the subject from a plurality of positions and angles relative to the linear detector arrangement, such that multiple projection views are acquired at differing angles to provide for generation of a tomographic image.