Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 15.11
Photograph of a CT slice of the body.
and that slice alone. These measurements are not affected by the materials lying on either
side of the section. As a result, the entire information potential of the x-ray beam is used
to the fullest, and the image is more clearly defined.
The medical applications of such detailed pictures are considerable. Hard and soft
tumors, cysts, blood clots, injured or dead tissue, and other abnormal morphological condi-
tions can be easily observed. The ability to distinguish between various types of soft tissues
means that many diagnostic procedures can be simplified, thus eliminating the need for a
number of methods that require hospitalization, are costly, and involve a potential risk to
