Mysterious "X-ray" Scanner

["Vernig, Peter G." <Peter.Vernig@med.va.gov>]

Group,

Something to divert those of us that have to stay at home.  Somebody posted
a newspaper picture and caption.  The picture shows a semi truck & trailer.
In white you can see that a cargo has been packed over and behind a cargo of
people [illegal aliens].  The walls of the truck are essentially
transparent.  The cargo and the people show up white.  The tires are white
but not as white as the cargo or the people.  I can not quote the caption
verbatim.  But it stars "X-RAYS:"  It then says Mexico's new scanning device
can spot drugs, arms, or people.

Since the presumably aluminum truck sides are transparent and the people and
tires show up, I am guessing some kind of neutron imaging device and that
the "X-RAY" header was a mistake put in by an editor or someone who didn't
know any better.  But I recall some time ago, there was something about an
airport drug x-ray system that utilized x-ray scatter somehow but there was
a rather extensive discussion about just how effective it was.

So anybody hear of such a device or have an explanation?  I am going to try
to find out who posted it and what newspaper it came out of.

Any opinions expressed are mine alone and do not necessarily represent those
of the Denver VA Medical Center, The Department of Veterans Affairs, or the
U.S. Government.

Peter G. Vernig                
Radiation Safety Officer, VA Medical Center, 1055 Clermont St. Denver, CO
80220, ATTN; RSO MS 115
303-399-8020 ext. 2447, peter.vernig@med.va.gov [alternate
vernig.peter@forum.va.gov] Fax 303-393-5026 [8 - 4:30 MT service] Alternate
Fax 303-377-5686

"You win some, you lose some, and some get rained out." Y. Berra

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