System and method for x-ray fluorescence with filtering

[0032]One example area in which x-ray fluorescence (XRF) can provide information is the interactions of metals in biological systems (e.g., role of metals in biological processes; metal-based drugs). These trace elements are typically found in concentration of parts per million (ppm) and spatially specific at organ, tissue, cell, and sub-cellular levels. Abnormal trace element distribution in tissues has been directly linked to many diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington disease. Recent studies are also linking pathologies such as arthritis and schizophrenia to abnormal trace element concentrations of blood serum in human populations, which are driving questions on elemental distributions in the diseased tissues. In addition, promising new metal-based therapeutics (e.g., anti-cancer and anti-HIV) are driving the need for metal mapping capabilities to better understand the in vivo uptake of the drugs and to determine targeting strat