Miracle X-Ray Reveals All In 3D
It has been held as the new X-ray “miracle” - a three dimensional scanner that strips away skin and muscle tissue to reveal the workings of vital organic blood vessels and bones.
Taking pictures only half a millimeter wide, the 64 Multislice CT scanner, as the Japanese built machine is known, penetrates the human body layer by layer to build up a complete 3D anatomocal image in a little as 11 seconds.
Unlike other scanners, it can be used on every part of the body. Radiologists at the Conquest hospital in Hastings, east Sussex, where the NHS has acquired its first machine for 500000 pounds sterling, say it has been speeding up chest scans, as patients no longer have to hold their breath for so long during the proceedure.
With up to 50 percent more X-ray being carried out each day, managers predict it will also reduce waiting times for hospital beds. The X-rays still expose patients to radiation - in some cases the doeses are higher than with standard CT scans - but patients undergo less trauma.
When a persons head is scanned, the device first of all peels away facial tissue to reveal the structure of muscles and nerves. As the scanner penetrates deeper, it exposes blood vessels, then bones and the skull. The image are so precise they can pin-point the build up of calcium in a artery.