Portable X-ray systems let a bomb technician, customs officer or inspector image an object where it is, rather than bringing it to a fixed scanner. The best-known use is explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and improvised explosive device disposal (IEDD): imaging a suspect package, bag or device from a distance to see its construction before deciding how to render it safe. The same kits are used for searching vehicles and walls, for customs examinations and, in heavier forms, for industrial field radiography.
What is in a portable X-ray kit
- X-ray source. In EOD work this is usually a battery-powered pulsed X-ray generator, which emits very short, intense pulses (typically up to about 150–300 kV). The operator selects a number of pulses rather than an exposure time. Some systems use small constant-potential generators instead, which give better control of image contrast but are heavier.
- Detector. Modern kits use thin digital flat-panel detectors (DR), often wireless, placed behind the object. Older methods — instant film and computed radiography (CR) phosphor plates — are still found but are slower.
- Control and display. A rugged laptop or tablet triggers the source and receives the image, often over a long cable or radio link so that the operator can stay at a safe stand-off distance from the suspect item.
- Accessories. Positioning stands, robot mounts (many EOD robots can carry the source and panel), and image tools for measuring, enhancing and combining several panels into one larger image.
How a suspect item is imaged
- The panel is placed behind the item, as close to it as possible, often by robot.
- The source is placed on the other side, typically around a metre away, aimed through the item at the panel.
- The operator withdraws to a safe distance and triggers the exposure remotely.
- The image is reviewed for components: power sources, wiring, switches, timers, detonators, main charge, shrapnel and anti-handling features. Several views from different angles are usually taken because a single radiograph is a flat projection.
Interpreting these images is a specialist skill, and the cognitive challenges — clutter, superimposition, unusual orientations — are similar to those in baggage screening. See image interpretation.
Choosing a system: what matters
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Panel size, thickness and weight | Thin, light panels fit behind objects in tight spaces and on robots; larger active areas need fewer exposures. Compare current datasheets — models change frequently. |
| Image quality | Pixel pitch, dynamic range and noise determine whether thin wires can be seen behind dense material. |
| Wireless range and reliability | Determines stand-off distance and whether a cable has to be run to the item. |
| Source output and battery life | Higher kV penetrates denser objects; battery capacity limits pulses per mission. |
| Ruggedness | Water, dust, temperature and drop resistance for field use. |
| Software | Image stitching, measurement, enhancement, and export for reports and evidence. |
Suppliers of portable EOD X-ray equipment include Vidisco, Logos Imaging, Scanna, Golden Engineering (pulsed sources) and others. Independent evaluations — for example by national bomb-data centres or defence test agencies — are more useful than marketing comparisons when selecting equipment.
Other field uses
Security and customs searches
Portable X-ray is used to look inside vehicle panels, furniture, walls, mail and items that cannot be moved to a fixed scanner. Handheld backscatter imagers are a related tool for single-sided inspection of surfaces.
Industrial field radiography
Pipeline welds, pressure vessels and structures are radiographed on site using portable X-ray tubes, pipeline crawlers or gamma sources (such as iridium-192 or selenium-75). This work is regulated as industrial radiography and is far higher in output than EOD kits; see industrial NDT systems.
Radiation safety
Even small portable sources must be treated as radiation-producing equipment. Good practice and regulation typically require:
- Registration or licensing of the equipment with the national or state radiation regulator;
- Trained operators, a radiation safety officer and written procedures;
- A controlled area around the exposure, set using distance (dose rate falls with the square of distance), and never pointing the beam toward people;
- Personal dosimeters and survey meters for operators;
- Secure storage and transport of the equipment.
Industrial radiography with gamma sources in the US is regulated under 10 CFR Part 34 (NRC) or equivalent Agreement State rules; X-ray equipment is registered with the state. See regulations and shielding and exclusion zones.
Frequently asked questions
What is a portable EOD X-ray system?
It is a battery-powered X-ray source and a portable detector, usually a wireless flat panel, used by bomb technicians to image a suspect package or device remotely so they can see its construction before deciding how to deal with it.
How far is the X-ray source from the object?
Typically around a metre, with the detector panel directly behind the object. The operator triggers the exposure remotely from a much greater distance.
What kind of X-ray source is used for EOD?
Most EOD kits use pulsed X-ray generators that emit short, intense pulses at up to a few hundred kV; some use compact constant-potential generators.
Do you need a licence to operate a portable X-ray unit?
In most jurisdictions the equipment must be registered or licensed with the radiation regulator, and operators must be trained and use dosimetry. Requirements vary by country and state.
Sources
- U.S. NRC — 10 CFR Part 34, Licenses for industrial radiography
- IAEA — Radiation safety in industrial radiography (SSG-11)
- U.S. Air Force — EOD units test new imaging technology
Last reviewed on 2026-10-04.