MGB MGB X-Ray!

[Bret]

Well since I was working local today I decided to take my 78B to work at the Port of Entry in San Yideo CA. Granted the guards at the gate had to take a double take, but eventually they let me in after I explained what I was doing there. An MGB isn't the normal ride for performing service calls at US Customs. I posted some pics in the MG members rides to share.

Pre-Scan

Backscatter X-Ray - Organics: Glass, rubber, plastic etc.

Normal X-Ray Scan - Metals, dense objects etc.

Anyway while I was doing my normal weekly PM of the US Customs X-Ray truck, I'd reached a point where I had to test the imaging system. That’s when the idea hit me to scan my MGB and share the pics with the forum. The first picture was taken right before we scanned my car. The first x-ray image shows what we call backscatter. It almost looks like a negative of the second image until you notice that all of the rubber or less-dense items show up even better. This secondary imaging process is great for detecting drugs and other organic materials some misguided folks might try to smuggle into or out of the country. The third image is the normal skeletal type x-ray showing all of the dense components (Engine Trans differential etc). This is kind'a like what most of us expect to see when we think of x-ray images.

Anyway now you know what the inside of a B looks like.

Kind’a cool don’t ya think?

[ 08-28-2003: Message edited by: Bret ]</p>

 

[Zer]

Cool : Good way to check for cracks.

 

[William]

Oh now that's cool!
-Wm.

 

[Guest]

but I hope it doesn't get cancer now

 

[Bret]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Chuck Cougill:

but I hope it doesn't get cancer now<hr></blockquote>

No Worries, We don’t use live sources in our systems. So I'm not to worried about my car getting cancer from that. I was far more concerned about the nasty smoking habit she had when I first purchased her. It almost ruined our relationship at the start.

FYI – Not counting Mv systems - in order for a person to get cancer from one of these systems or even the medical systems you encounter in hospitals, you’d need to stand in front of the source for years. Matter a fact (you smokers won’t like this) one of the factoids we use in our training is that you get more radioactive exposure smoking one cigarette than you'd get from thousands of x-ray exposures from this particular system.

[ 08-26-2003: Message edited by: Bret ]</p>

 

[SilentUnicorn]

Neat, dont get to see that everyday.

Mark

 

[Rodger]

Very interesting scans. I didn't know such a frame could do such good resolution on the scanogram. Do you know if this is similar to the "CT"s they are using on luggage at airports?

 

[Bret]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Rodger:
Very interesting scans. I didn't know such a frame could do such good resolution on the scanogram. Do you know if this is similar to the "CT"s they are using on luggage at airports?<hr></blockquote>

Hi Rodger,

X-Ray 101 – I’ll try to keep the answer to your question as simple as possible. To everybody else this is a little long so skip if you want. I wont' be offended.

In a word – No. But to the best of my knowledge nobody uses CT systems at airports to scan checked or carry on baggage. The main reason for this is that CT (Computed Topography) creates 3D images and are quite complicated, while most baggage scanning systems create 2D images and are much simpler to operate by comparison. Moreover the normal CT system takes a lot of time to finish collecting data before an image can be compiled and constructed.

In our case – our system employs something we call “flying spot technology” and like most x-ray systems in use its images are displayed in 2D too and can be viewed basically in real time. While not as sophisticated as CT, our x-ray system is a much easier system to teach to someone to operate without any technical background.

Our system has an added feature and advantage over normal x-ray scanning devices. We use something else that we called backscatter imaging. In a nutshell X-Rays (not unlike light or radar emissions) can be reflected and absorbed by the material it hits or passes through. In our case we take advantage of these loose or “scattered” x-rays, by placing another set of detectors on either side of the source to catch any scattered x-rays. You see everything has various levels of density. A high-density item is called “High Z”, while low density items are called “Low Z”. A high z items (Steel, Bone etc.) will either absorb, stop or reflect the X-rays from passing through it. While the low z items (organics, flesh etc.) will allow the x-rays to pass through them easier.

This is why the normal transmission x-ray image will show the structure or skeleton of my 78B. But the backscatter x-ray image will better display items like the rubber, fluids and other organics.

FYI – I am not giving anything away any secrets here. All of this and more are already available on my company’s web site.

[ 08-26-2003: Message edited by: Bret ]</p>

 

[tony barnhill]

So, if you had been in it at the time, would the 1st x-ray show your naked body & the 2nd your skeleton?

 

[Bret]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by tony barnhill:
So, if you had been in it at the time, would the 1st x-ray show your naked body & the 2nd your skeleton?<hr></blockquote>

As funny as that sounds – that’s actually a good observation/question.

To answer your question – Yes, the normal transmission x-ray image is similar to what you might expect to see in the hospital. Highlighting bones and other dense material etc. While the secondary or “Backscatter” Image would show the body tissue. However the image wouldn’t show finite details, registering more of a fuzzy ghost like image. Sure you’d be able to tell the difference between male & female, but your loved ones would never know who it was. The only embarrassing thing might be if a gal has breast ahh… errr… what’s the word hmmm? Oh yeah – Augmentations! Those "implants" can show up real clear sometimes.

But seriously the interesting thing is that using these type of scanning systems US Customs is always finding illegal aliens hiding in side of vehicles down here on the southern boarder. Likewise we are quite often finding poor soles hiding inside of shipping containers at the seaports too.

Also just so you know the US Department of Transportation and Homeland Security are experimenting with the use of another system we make called a “Body Scan” at a couple of select Airports in the north east US. These systems are nothing new and have been employed in US prisons for a few years now in place of metal detectors. Seems prisoners are quite creative and don’t just use metal objects for weapons. Another good reason for replacing metal detectors at airports with a system like ours is that it can not only show any metal objects on a person like cell phones and pagers. It can also show none metal objects leather belts, wallets, money and chewing gum etc. It's really great for picking up explosives (shoe bombs etc.).

[ 08-27-2003: Message edited by: Bret ]</p>

 

[iggy]

That is so cool...

 

[Kim de B]

Bret, those are outstanding photos! I love them.

Would you mind if I used them in our club newsletter sometime? (They'd be good to use sometime this fall and winter, when I'm always looking for interesting stuff to fill it after the driving season is over here.)

I would give you photo credit, of course, and use your descriptions. And I'd send you a copy of the newsletter after I used them.

 

[Jon12]

Wow, that is very interesting. Not much support in the door area if you ever get hit from the side.

Maybe you can help me out with this dilemma. I'm going to Mexico on a cruise in about a month and I would like to bring back a few fireworks. Will they get picked up if my luggage is scanned?
Thanks for sharing, Jon

 

[Bret]

Sure Kim,

Thanks for asking, I'd be honored. Feel free to down load the photos and use them for your newsletter. Let me know if you need any more information.

It's times like this that I realize just how cool my job is.

[ 08-28-2003: Message edited by: Bret ]</p>

 

[Bret]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Jon12:
Wow, that is very interesting. Not much support in the door area if you ever get hit from the side.

Maybe you can help me out with this dilemma. I'm going to Mexico on a cruise in about a month and I would like to bring back a few fireworks. Will they get picked up if my luggage is scanned?
Thanks for sharing, Jon<hr></blockquote>

Hey Jon,

As for the doors? Yep, basically the only protection the doors of an MGB have besides the outer skin & frame is the widows and the door liners.

As for your dilemma? Curious question – But while I ain’t a cop, I have to ask – if you would ask a cop this kind of question?

Anyway, the one thing I must “legally” say to you is – please don’t try it. Admittedly cracking down on fireworks smuggling probably isn’t as high a priority as it once was in this post 911 world, let alone ONE guy with a couple of bottle rockets in his luggage. But because of the increased security the odds aren’t in your favor of being successful.

Oh sure, currently there is no way to scan “everything” that makes its way into our country – but they are trying to more & more on a daily basses. Also you need to remember that the x-ray scanning technology I work with and described above is only one facet of the many methods our law enforcement agencies employ in their efforts to protect our boarders and detect contraband.

[ 08-28-2003: Message edited by: Bret ]</p>

 

[Kim de B]

Thanks, Bret! I'm thinking maybe I'll use them for October, for Halloween. Sure will be something different in the newsletter!

 

[tony barnhill]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....scanning would mean if my container were labeled "antique car parts" they'd see if a complete car was tucked in under a bunch of loose panels? Wonder if they'd realize it or just think it was 'parts'?

 

[Guest]

the question is would they know those MGF parts aren't antique

 

[tony barnhill]

would they care?

 

[Bret]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by tony barnhill:
would they care?<hr></blockquote>

Very funny guys,

But something else to think about when viewing scans is that is not always what you see. But rather sometimes its what you don’t see in the image.

Here’s a little test to help you better understand what you are looking at. All of us in the BCF/MG forum should be more or less familiar with what is normally found in your basic MGB. Take another look at the two images again. Can you pick out what is missing?