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CLASS 378,	X-RAY OR GAMMA RAY SYSTEMS OR DEVICES
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SECTION I - CLASS DEFINITION

This is the generic class for apparatus and corresponding processes involving the generation or use of electromagnetic radiation within the X-ray spectrum as defined above.

Methods, systems, and elements with specific features characteristic of X-ray applications are classified herein.

Mere use with or attachment to an X-ray device or recitation of an undefined X-ray test or analysis is insufficient to cause classification within this class.

SECTION II - LINES WITH OTHER CLASSES AND WITHIN THIS CLASS

This class is the result of a reclassification of the X-ray art which was extracted from several classes, principally Class 250, Radiant Energy. The subject matter of this class is, therefore, essentially identical in scope to the X-ray subject matter formerly found in the more comprehensive Class 250 with the addition of the X-ray source subject matter of Class 313, Electric Lamp and Discharge Devices. Selected disclosures concerning elements "for use in" but not restricted to X-ray systems were removed from the above described body of art and placed in more appropriate classes.

Significantly claimed apparatus external to this class, claimed in combination with apparatus under the class definition which is used to monitor, control or otherwise effect the operation of the external apparatus, is classified in the class appropriate to that external apparatus.

Nominally claimed apparatus external to this class, claimed in combination with apparatus under the class definition, is classified in this class unless provided for in the appropriate external class.

SECTION III - REFERENCES TO OTHER CLASSES

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SECTION IV - GLOSSARY

DETECTOR

A material or device whose response to X-ray energy is used to indicate the presence or amount of incident radiation.

GAMMA RAY

In this class the term "gamma ray" is considered to be synonymous with the term "X-ray". Gamma rays are usually considered to be produced by some natural phenomenon such as the decay of an atomic nucleus whereas X-rays are usually considered to be produced by an electronic tube or other manufactured device.

INSPECTION OR EXAMINATION

A term implying a source of X-ray energy, and/or means to irradiate an object by said source and a detector responsive to X-radiation from the object to provide an indication representing some characteristic of the object.

OBJECT OR ANALYTE

A material subjected to X-radiation for treatment or whose response to or effect on the X-radiation is used to indicate something about the material.

X-RAY

Electromagnetic radiation lying in a range between "cosmic rays" and "ultraviolet rays". This range is defined as lying between 0.001 and 100 angstrom units or 10^-11 and 10^-6 centimeters in wavelength.

SUBCLASSES

1	SPECIFIC APPLICATION:
	This subclass is indented under the class definition.  Subject matter comprising an X-ray system including means which adapts that system to a specific application. (1) Note. Specific methods are classified in the same subclass as the corresponding apparatus in this and each of the following subclasses.

2	Radiation coding:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 1.  Subject matter including means to spatially modulate a beam of X-rays prior to its impinging upon an object or means to spatially demodulate a modulated beam. (1) Note. The spatial modulation may be produced by spatial filtering of an unmodulated beam or by means within the X-ray source which directly produces a modulated beam. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 145, for X-ray zone plates which may be used as modulators or demodulators.

3	Mossbauer effect:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 1.  Subject matter including systems and devices such as spectrometers employing the Mossbauer effect, i.e., the absorption or emission of gamma rays by an atomic nucleus without the nuclear recoil that usually accompanies such phenomena.

4	Computerized tomography:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 1.  Subject matter employing computer processing of X-ray absorption or transmission data to produce an image of a cross section of an object. (1) Note. The devices found herein usually include some mechanism which allows relative movement between the source or detector of X-rays and the object being examined. The tomographic movement is typically produced by holding the object stationary and moving the X-ray source and the detector simultaneously in opposite directions about a pivot point lying in a plane through the object. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 21+, for noncomputerized tomography. 901, for a cross-reference art collection of tomography programs or processors. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 382,  Image Analysis,   subclasses 128 through 134for biomedical applications of image analysis. 600,  Surgery,   subclasses 437+ for ultrasonic computer tomography. 708,  Electrical Computers: Arithmetic Processing and Calculating,   subclasses 813+ for analog computations of convolution data.

5	Energy discriminating:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 4.  Subject matter including irradiating an object with X-rays or one or more specific energy levels and determining transmission or other characteristics of the object at the one or more energy levels. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 49, for fluorescence composition analysis with spatially dispersive energy analysis. 82+, for spatial energy dispersion analysis. 156+, for energy selective filters.

6	Fluorescence or scatter mapping:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 4.  Subject matter including determining the distribution in intensity of X-rays exiting an object, the X-rays having been deviated in direction by the object or being the result of secondary emission from the object. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 44+, for nontomography fluorescence imaging. 87, for nontomography scatter imaging.

7	Scatter compensating:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 4.  Subject matter including mitigating the effects of primary beam deviation or spreading from a desired direction usually upon passage through the object. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 86+, for scatter analysis. 154+, for antiscatter grids.

8	Object responsive:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 4.  Subject matter including controlling the tomograph or a part thereof in response to some condition or characteristic of the object being studied. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 95, for object responsive control circuits in nontomography applications.

9	Plural sources:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 4.  Subject matter including more than one source of X-rays. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 92, for electronic circuits for plural sources. 193, for supports for plural sources.

10	Nonrotating source or detector:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 4.  Subject matter wherein the source or detector is stationary or is moved for purposes other than scanning.

11	Source or detector translation within plane:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 4.  Subject matter including means which causes movement, other than rotational movement, of the source or detector within the plane of the cross section of the object being examined.

12	With electronic scanning:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 11.  Subject matter including means within the source of X-rays which causes movement of an electron beam across the X-ray target to cause movement of the beam of X-rays. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 113, for electronic scanning circuits for X-ray sources. 137, for scanning X-ray tubes, per se.

13	Radial:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 11.  Subject matter wherein the source or detector is translated in a direction essentially parallel to the mean direction of X-ray propagation.

14	Fan beam translation:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 11.  Subject matter wherein the beam is in the shape of a planar fan diverging away from the source.

15	Continuous mechanical rotation:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 4.  Subject matter including means for electrically interfacing the source or detector in such manner that continuous unidirectional mechanical rotation can take place without interruption of the operation of the source or detector. (1) Note. Slip rings, energy storage within the rotating structure, and telemetering signals from the rotating to the stationary structure are typical means used in systems of this type.

16	Beam energy or intensity control:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 4.  Subject matter including means for controlling beam energy (e.g., voltage, hardness, wavelength, frequency) or intensity (e.g., flux density). SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 108, through 112, for regulated X-ray source power supplies. 145+, for beam control devices, per se.

17	Tiltable or nonvertical examination plane:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 4.  Subject matter including means which allows the source or detector to be positioned such that the cross section being imaged is in some other than the more usual vertical plane.

18	With tissue equivalent material:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 4.  Subject matter including use in the path of the X-rays of a material whose X-ray absorption characteristics are similar to those of the object to be examined for purposes such as path length compensation. (1) Note. Surrounding a human being with water is one example of the subject matter found here. (2) Note. This subclass also includes "examination phantoms" such as manikins. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 156, for X-ray filters. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 250,  Radiant Energy,   subclass 505.1 for examination phantoms in general.

19	Beam detection system:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 4.  Subject matter including detailed structure, technique, or control of radiation detection in computerized tomos:graphic systems. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 250,  Radiant Energy,   subclasses 336.1+ for radiation detectors, per se.

20	Object positioning or aligning:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 4.  Subject matter including means for sustaining the object under examination against gravity in a selected orientation relative to the X-ray source or detector or means for indicating or monitoring the position of the object relative to the apparatus. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 68+, 177, 195, and 208, for object supports. 205, for X-ray system alignment. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 5,  Beds,   appropriate subclasses, particularly subclasses 600+ and 630+ for beds with body support or positioning means. 269,  Work Holders,   subclasses 322+ for patient examination tables. 607,  Surgery: Light, Thermal, and Electrical Application,   subclasses 1+ for apparatus in direct body contact with supports and applies radiation to a human being.

21	Tomography:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 1.  Subject matter including means which produces an image of a cross section of an object. (1) Note. The devices found herein usually include some mechanism which allows relative movement between the source or detector of X-rays and the object being examined. In conventional tomography, the tomos:graphic movement is typically produced by holding the object stationary and moving the X-ray source and the recording medium simultaneously in opposite directions about a pivot point lying in a plane through the object. (2) Note. Tomography is commonly referenced in the art by the equivalent terms laminography, planiography, sectional radiography. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 4+, for computerized tomography.

22	With nonphotographic detector:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 21.  Subject matter including fluoroscopic, electronic, electrostatic or other such detector which does not require photographic processing to develop an image. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 189+, for nonphotographic detector supports.

23	Dynamic tomography:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 21.  Subject matter including the production of a set of radiographs which, when superimposed in a stack for viewing with the radiographs aligned so that the images of a given point in the object all coincide, all other points or object details in the same plane will be revealed in an unobstructed view and images of all points lying in other planes, even closely adjacent planes, will be obscured or blurred out. (1) Note. Other specific planes may be selectively viewed by appropriate positioning of the radiographs within the stack. (2) Note. Dynamic tomography typically utilizes a planar tomographic movement achieved with the effective pivot point of the linkage being disposed in a plane through the object with separate images being recorded for each of multiple exposures which are made at different angles through the object, i.e., a different film or other recording medium is used for each exposure to produce the set of radiographs. (3) Note. Dynamic tomography is also referenced in the art as plane slipping tomography, plane slipping laminography, variable depth laminography, simultaneous multiple tomography, etc.

24	Transverse tomography:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 21.  Subject matter wherein the source, object, and detector of X-rays or gamma rays are arranged in such fashion that the cross section being imaged is other than the usual longitudinal cross section.

25	Planar tomography:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 21.  Subject matter wherein the source is moved in a plane parallel to the object plane or cross section to be imaged.

26	Linear tomography:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 25.  Subject matter wherein the source is moved along a straight line.

27	Nonplanar tomography:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 21.  Subject matter wherein the source is moved along a path which is nonplanar, e.g., spherical or is nonparallel to the object plane or cross section to be imaged.

28	Xeroradiography:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 1.  Subject matter including a detector upon which a latent image in the form of a pattern of electric charges is produced by action of x-radiation or gamma radiation. (1) Note. The detector usually includes (a) a pair of spaced imaging electrodes defining an imaging gap therebetween, (b) an image receptor sheet lying within the gap between the electrodes, (c) an imaging fluid filling the remaining space between the electrodes, and (d) an enclosing chamber. By applying a charge across the electrodes and ionizing the fluid through irradiation, charges will be removed from or deposited upon the image receptor sheet. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 250,  Radiant Energy,   subclasses 324+ for apparatus for or the method of corona irradiation to charge the detector without subsequent altering of the charge. 399,  Electrophotography,   subclasses 9+ for diagnostics, subclasses 38+ for controls, subclasses 130+ for image formation, subclasses 168+ for charging, subclasses 177+ for exposure, subclasses 222+ for development, subclasses 297+ for transfer, subclasses 320+ for fixing, subclasses 343+ for cleaning, and subclasses 361+ for document handling. 430,  Radiation Imagery Chemistry: Process, Composition, or Product Thereof,   subclasses 966+ for cross-reference art collections of disclosures relating to X-ray imagery.

29	With real time display:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 28.  Subject matter including means for displaying an image of the object under examination at the time of exposure to radiation in addition to or instead of the subsequent production of a hard copy image record. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 98, for X-ray systems including circuits and means for displaying and signaling.

30	With focused gap field:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 28.  Subject matter wherein the electric field between the two imaging electrodes is focused such that the paths of charged particles traveling between the electrodes converge at the origin of the imaging X-rays or gamma rays. (1) Note. Focusing may be achieved by the use of cylindrically or spherically curved imaging electrodes.

31	With auxiliary electrode:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 28.  Subject matter including one or more additional electrodes within the gap between the imaging electrodes for purposes such as ion flow control.

32	With uniform charging of image receptor:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 28.  Subject matter including means for uniformly charging the image surface of an image receptor sheet before exposure to X-rays or gamma rays. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 250,  Radiant Energy,   subclasses 324+ for xerographic charging devices.

33	With gap fluid handling:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 28.  Subject matter including means for supplying, removing, sealing, or recycling imaging fluid employed within the interelectrode gap of the imaging chamber.

34	Lithography:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 1.  Subject matter including the projection of an X-ray image upon an X-ray sensitive resist usually through a patterned mask.

35	Pattern mask:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 34.  Subject matter restricted to the mask itself which is made up of adjacent areas of X-ray opaque and X-ray transparent material arranged in a selected pattern (usually of an electronic circuit) and used for X-ray lithos:graphic production of plural copies of the pattern. (1) Note. Although this subclass is restricted to single elements, it is placed here in the schedule as an exception to the general rule of hierarchy since the element described is used only in the system of the parent subclass. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 216,  Etching a Substrate: Processes,   subclass 12 for nonetch function mask involving etching. 430,  Radiation Imagery Chemistry: Process, Composition, or Product Thereof,   subclass 5 for pattern masks used in photo-lithography.

36	Holography or interferometry:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 1.  Subject matter including the generation, analysis, or recording of interference patterns resulting from the interaction of plural X-ray wavefronts or the making of optical holograms from conventional radiographs, e.g., stereo radiography, to permit holographic display of the information. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 41, for conventional stereo radiography. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 359,  Optics: Systems (Including Communication) and Elements,   subclasses 1+ for optical holography. 365,  Static Information Storage and Retrieval,   subclass 125 for memories including holograms.

37	Mammography:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 1.  Subject matter including means for X-ray examination of the female breast.

38	Dental panoramic:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 1.  Subject matter including producing an image of a curved dental structure. (1) Note. An example of the devices found herein is a device wherein an image of all teeth on upper and/or lower jaws is formed on a single photographic plate. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 168+, for dental film supports. 191, for dental fluoroscopic detector supports.

39	Moving source and detector:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 38.  Subject matter including moving the source and the detector simultaneously about an axis generally parallel to the patient"s spine.

40	Continuous image:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 39.  Subject matter wherein the image is formed during one continuous movement of the source and detector. (1) Note. The movement of the source and detector is typically both rotation about an axis and movement of the axis along a predetermined path.

41	Stereoscopy:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 1.  Subject matter including formation of plural related images which, when properly viewed, exhibit depth. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 98+, for television display of stereo images. 174, for supports for plural films or plates. 193, for supports for plural sources. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 359,  Optics: Systems (Including Communication) and Elements,   subclasses 462+ for light type devices for stereoscopically viewing X-ray stereograms or a stereoscopic record or records and optical systems for producing a visual record taken from two different points of view.

42	Fluoroscopy:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 41.  Subject matter including a fluorescent screen upon which the images are formed. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 190+, for fluoroscopes.

43	Telescope or microscope:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 1.  Subject matter including the collection and detection of X-rays from distant objects (e.g., the stars) or the formation of an image of an object, which image is substantially larger than the object. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 359,  Optics: Systems (Including Communication) and Elements,   subclasses 368+ and 399+ for visible light telescope or microscopes.

44	Fluorescence:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 1.  Subject matter including the measurement or analysis of secondary X-rays resulting from the excitation by primary x-radiation or gamma radiation of analyte atoms. (1) Note. Although not specifically include within each of the following definitions, fluorescence systems usually include (a) a source of primary X-rays or gamma rays, (b) an analyte which emits fluorescent X-rays, (c) an analyte holder or positioning means, and (d) a detector of the fluorescent X-rays. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 3, for Mossbauer effect devices. 6, for fluorescence or scatter mapping. 143, for sources which produce secondary X-rays. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 209,  Classifying, Separating, and Assorting Solids,   appropriate subclasses, especially subclass 589 for radiant energy type automatic assorting. 250,  Radiant Energy,   subclasses 306+ for sample bombardment with protons or electrons which may produce X-rays and subclasses 253+ for geological surveying. 376,  Induced Nuclear Reactions: Processes, Systems, and Elements,   subclasses 156+ for X-rays generated by means of an induced nuclear reaction, e.g., wherein the internal conversion of an electron within the nucleus generates soft gamma rays.

45

Composition analysis:

This subclass is indented under subclass 44.  Subject matter including measurement of the chemical composition, quantity (density), or presence of a specific substance in an analyte. (1) Note. The measurement is typically accomplished by energy analysis of the fluorescent X-rays emitted by the object under examination. The energy of specific line emissions uniquely identifies chemical elements and the intensity of the emission characterizes its quantity. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 53, for absorption composition analysis. 83, and 88, for diffraction, reflection, or scattering composition analysis. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: