Nondestructive imaging of hidden figures on license plates by X-ray radiograph.

In this case, we investigated the modified license plates. The evidences had new embossing pressed serial numbers after erasing the original numbers on the license plates by hammering. The X-ray radiograph could visualize the hidden figures; those were virtually unseen by naked eyes or undetectable by ordinary photography. To reveal the erased figures, we performed image processing with computer software after X-ray radiographs. It proved to be an efficient nondestructive way to visualize the hidden original figures on metals.