Testing an X-ray system is typically based on selecting small bones and cutting small pieces of these bones. These pieces are subsequently placed into a chicken fillet or a deboned leg. The product is subsequently scanned by the X-ray system, and its ability to detect the bone in question is assessed.
But a bone is not just a bone. The detectability of a bone depends on its calcification level, and the detection depends on the X-ray technology being used. Most important is the X-ray energy selection. At lower levels of X-ray energy and with longer wavelengths (below 30 kV), the contrast between bone and meat increases exponentially.