TEDDI technique

Scientists at Manchester University have developed a new X-ray technique that could be used to detect hidden explosives, drugs and human cancers more effectively.

Professor Robert Cernik and colleagues from The School of Materials have built a prototype colour 3D X-ray system that allows material at each point of an image to be clearly identified.

The technique developed by the Manchester scientists is known as tomographic energy dispersive diffraction imaging (TEDDI).

It harnesses all the wavelengths present in an X-ray beam to create 3D pictures.

The technique is said to improve on existing methods by allowing detailed images to be created with one scanning motion.

The method makes use of advanced detector and collimator engineering pioneered at Daresbury Laboratory, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and Cambridge University.

Scientists believe this advanced engineering will reduce the time taken to create a sample scan from hours to minutes.