#computed tomography

IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE NO LESS

This is from a study just published a few days ago by Lepeco et al. (2025).

Hell ants (subfamily: Haidomyrmecinae) are super cool ants that possessed vertically closing jaws.

Below is a model of the ant's body/anatomy generated via micro-computed tomography

Vulcanidris cratensis is a new species discovered in Brazil. It dates back to the lower Cretaceous, and at the time of writing, is now the oldest known ant to science!

Researchers capture first laser-driven, high-resolution CT scans of dense objects

A research team led by Colorado State University has achieved a new milestone in 3D X-ray imaging technology. The scientists are the first to capture high-resolution CT scans of the interior of a large, dense object—a gas turbine blade—using a compact, laser-driven X-ray source. The findings, published in Optica, describe the science and engineering behind this new radiographic imaging capability and its potential benefits for a range of industries, from aerospace to additive manufacturing. The project is a years-long collaboration between researchers at CSU's Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physics and Los Alamos National Laboratory, with participation from AWE in the U.K. "This demonstration is just the beginning," said Reed Hollinger, an assistant professor at CSU and lead author of the study.

Goretober day 8: Xray.

X-ray imaging, PET scans, CT scans, and MRIs are various imaging techniques that are used to capture images of the inside of the body. 🩻

X-ray

— detects bone fractures, certain tumors and other abnormal masses, pneumonia, some types of injuries, calcifications, foreign objects, or dental problems.

MRA

— Magnetic Resonance Angiography uses a powerful magnetic field, radio frequency waves, and a computer to evaluate blood vessels and help identify abnormalities.

MRI

— Magnetic Resonance Imaging uses a magnetic field and radio waves to take pictures inside the body.

It is especially helpful to collect pictures of soft tissue such as organs and muscles that don't show up on x-ray examinations

PET scan

— Positron Emission Tomography may be used to evaluate organs and/or tissues for the presence of disease or other conditions.

PET may also be used to evaluate the function of organs, such as the heart or brain.

The most common use of PET is in the detection of cancer and the evaluation of cancer treatment.

CT scan

— Computed Tomography is used to identify disease or injury within various regions of the body.

For example, CT has become a useful screening tool for detecting possible tumors or lesions within the abdomen.

A CT scan of the heart may be ordered when various types of heart disease or abnormalities are suspected.

Mother’s Bugs

This study in mice demonstrates that the maternal microbiome promotes the growth of the placenta and its blood vessels. This image shows reconstructions made using micro-computed tomography of foetal-placental arteries

Read the published research paper here

Image from work by Geoffrey N. Pronovost and colleagues

Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Published in Science Advances, October 2023

First you gotta imagine your patient standing in front of you (i.e., your left is their right)

Then... you knock 'em over

Typical Axial CT slices look 'up' the patient, cranially, from their feet towards their head!