DARPA Seeks To Combine X-Ray And Neutron Radiography

By Chuck Seegert, Ph.D.

Portable neutron imaging is a target development by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and the effort could extend and improve imaging in the field. While X-rays have their strengths, neutron imaging could provide a new level of visualization beyond current radiology methods.

X-rays provide invaluable feedback in the clinical setting, highlighting and helping diagnose many conditions. The value of conventional radiology is often focused in areas where there are bones, as these dense structures lead to high contrast images and can be easily visualized. To examine soft tissues, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is better, since it can highlight water molecules.

To add to these capabilities, however, DARPA, recently announced a funding opportunity for researchers focused on neutron imaging in a recent press release.

“We’re looking for innovative designs and construction methods to shrink a neutron accelerator from 10 meters or longer down to 1 meter or less, similar to the size of portable X-ray tubes today,” said Vincent Tang, DARPA program manager, in the press release. “Creating a high-yield, directional neutron source in a very compact package is a significant challenge.”

DARPA’S new program, ICONS, stands for Intense and Compact Neutron Sources, and it aims to deliver a device that can perform X-ray and neutron imaging together, according to the press release. The technology could be used for many things in addition to medical applications. While X-rays are good at detecting dense items, neutron imaging can visualize less dense elements and materials — even identifying material composition in some cases.

“A successful ICONS program would provide an imaging tool with significant national security applications, able to deliver very detailed, accurate internal imaging of objects in any setting,” Tang said in the press release.

The new DARPA initiative represents an exciting opportunity that could have significant implications in medicine. In particular, it may complement another significant push to increase imaging capabilities in the field for the military. Recently, the efforts of researchers to increase the portability of X-ray imaging was discussed.

Image Credit: DARPA