Sparse view Compton scatter tomography with energy resolved data: experimental and simulation results

X-ray inspection systems play a critical role in many non-destructive testing and security applications, with systems typically measuring attenuation during transmission along straight-line paths connecting sources and detectors. Computed tomography (CT) systems can provide higher-quality images than single- or dual-view systems, but the need to measure many projections through the scene increases system complexity and cost. We seek to maximize the image quality of sparse-view (few-view) systems by combining attenuation data with measurements of Compton-scattered photons, that deflect after scattering and arrive at detectors via broken ray paths that provide additional sampling of the scene. The work below presents experimental validation of a singlescatter forward model for Compton-scatter data measured with energy-resolving detectors, and demonstrates a reconstruction algorithm that combines both attenuation and scatter measurements. The results suggest that including Compton-scattered data in the reconstruction process can improve image quality for few-view systems.