Patent ID: 7860211

Claim:
A method for producing a laminography image of an object comprising the steps of: (a) providing a system comprising (1) an x-ray translucent, rotating platform having a vertical axis of rotation, a radius, and a top surface with an object space adapted to receive said object; (2) an x-ray source below said platform surface and horizontally spaced from said axis; and (3) a plurality of vertical columns of x-ray detector elements, a center line extending from said x-ray source to one of said detector columns, said columns being spaced from each other horizontally and generally perpendicularly to said center line, said columns being spaced horizontally from said axis generally opposite said platform from said x-ray source; (b) for each voxel in said object space: (1) choosing a detector column; (2) determining when said voxel is aligned between said x-ray source and said chosen detector column; (3) determining a first detector element of said chosen detector column on a line extending from said x-ray source to said voxel; (4) sampling said first detector element as first data; (5) rotating said platform until said voxel is next aligned between said x-ray source and said chosen detector column; (6) determining a second detector element of said chosen detector column on a line extending from said x-ray source to said voxel; and (7) sampling said second detector element as second data; (c) performing step (b) for each detector column; and (d) employing said first data and said second data from each voxel in each detector column in a laminography algorithm.