The Biomedical Applications of Computed Tomography

Abstract

Computed Tomography (CT) imaging is playing an increasingly important role in the biomedical sciences of today as clinicians and scientists begin to recognize its potential in health care and research. Clinical CT facilitates the early diagnosis of diseases thus allowing the selection of appropriate therapies which improves the patient's overcome. Pre-surgical imaging aids operation planning while real time scans assist complicated high risk surgeries. One of the primary concerns in clinical CT procedures would be the adverse radiation side effects thus only low dosages are allowed. The resolution of clinical imaging is insufficient for research, hence the micro CT set up has to be used. The advent of micro CT imaging has ushered in the possibility of non destructive quantitative analysis for trabeculae architectures, scaffolds, soft tissues and biological constructs. This paper highlights the inherent potential and emerging biomedical applications of CT. 193 Biomechanical Systems Technology Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com by UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND on 08/15/15. For personal use only.