A dispersive diffraction projection imaging system

One embodiment of the invention provides a dispersive diffraction projection imaging system for imaging a sample using X-rays or gamma rays. The system comprises a hyperspectral imaging detector (6) comprising a two-dimensional array of energy-sensitive pixels and a pinhole aperture (15) located between the sample (3) and the hyperspectral imaging detector (6) for producing an inverted image of the sample on the array of the pixels. The system further includes means (1) for producing a high energy radiation beam (2) for illuminating the sample (3) to be imaged or analysed. The high energy radiation beam (2) comprises X-rays or gamma rays and may have a letterbox shape cross-section having a long axis and a short axis so as to illuminate a slice (8) through the sample (3). One axis of the image formed on the pixel array suitably corresponds to the long axis of the letterbox cross-section, and the other axis of the image formed on the pixel array corresponds to distance into the sample of the high energy radiation beam. In an alternative embodiment, a thin sample is placed face-on to the beam, and is imaged/analysed all at once by the detector. More particularly, the imaging system can perform imaging by computerised tomography or fluorescence. [on SciFinder(R)]