Means and technique for making radiographic examinations

Claim 1

Apparatus for making a radiographic examination of a body, comprising a recording device for enclosing a nuclear radiation source, which is adapted to shield the source against the escape of radiation therefrom, but which has a recess in the exterior thereof across which the radiation can travel in a path confined within the device, the recess being adapted to receive the body therein so that a portion of the same is exposed to the radiation thereacross, means for arranging a section of a recording film which is sensitive to the radiation in the recess on the opposite side of the body from the source to record the character of the portion thereon, means for shifting the body, the source, and the film in relation to one another so as to expose a different portion of the body to the path of radiation while another section of the film is arranged in the recess on the opposite side of the body from the source, and means for interposing radiation shielding in the path of radiation between the source and the recess during the shifting process, so that the character of each portion of the body is separately recorded on a different section of the film, the recording device being in two, individually-shielded parts which are mated to one another to form the recess therebetween, and the body being inserted in the recess by mating the parts thereabout, one part of which has an aperture in the radiation shielding thereof which opens into the recess, and the source being inserted in this one part and reciprocated into and out of registry with the aperture during the recording process, the other part having a pair of slots in the radiation shielding thereof which open into the recess at points that are spaced apart from one another opposite the aperture in the one part, and the film being inserted in this other part and advanced section by section through and across the space between the slots, and the means for shifting the body, the source, and the film in relation to one another including means which are operative to rotate the device about the body while the source is out of registry with the aperture and the film is being advanced another section.