{"id":8607,"date":"2012-03-15T15:05:26","date_gmt":"2012-03-15T19:05:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sciencebusiness.technewslit.com\/?p=8607"},"modified":"2012-03-15T15:06:16","modified_gmt":"2012-03-15T19:06:16","slug":"mini-scanner-developed-for-teaching-ct-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/technewslit.com\/sciencebusiness\/?p=8607","title":{"rendered":"Mini Scanner Developed for Teaching CT Technology"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Assembly<\/a>
Assembly of the DeskCAT scanner (Western University)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Biomedical engineers at Western University<\/a> in London, Ontario, Canada have developed a scaled-down computed tomography (CT) scanner to teach about the technology in the classroom. The invention of Jerry Battista<\/a>, who chairs Western’s biophysics department, and Kevin Jordan of the London Health Sciences Centre is now manufactured, and distributed to other universities by Modus Medical Devices<\/a>, also in London, Ontario.<\/p>\n

Full-size CT and related computed axial tomography (CAT) scanners must be large enough to image the entire body and thus fill an entire room. The devices work by rotating a narrow fan beam of x-rays around the region of the body to be visualized. The x-rays are then detected and analyzed by a computer to create detailed images of the body part in thin slices, which can be stacked together to form a three-dimensional image.<\/p>\n

While the concept behind the technology is simple enough, teaching about it became a challenge. “It’s hard to get access to a clinical scanner for a more practical explanation because of the heavy clinical workload,” says Battista. “So basically, we miniaturized a CT scanner to bring it into the classroom.”<\/p>\n

The mathematical method of reconstructing the 3D picture of the specimen’s interior from the many thin image slices of the object, is identical to that used in the full-scale system. Rather than using real x-rays, however, the DeskCAT educational scanner, as the device is called, uses visible light rays to form multiple views of a transparent specimen.<\/p>\n

In addition to its smaller size, the DeskCAT scanner avoids exposing students to a high volume of x-rays. “Another advantage is that students can ‘see the light’ passing through the specimen,” Battista adds, “whereas x-rays are invisible to the human eye. This provides unique insight.”<\/p>\n

In the following video, Battista tells more about DeskCAt and demonstrates the device in the classroom.<\/p>\n