Science Fair Project Encyclopedia Computed axial tomography
Computed axial tomography (CAT), computer-assisted tomography,
computed tomography, CT, or body section roentgenography is the
process of using digital processing to generate a three-
dimensional image of the internals of an object from a large
series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single
axis of rotation. The word "tomography" is derived from the
Greek tomos (slice) and graphia (describing). Although most
common in healthcare, CT is also used in other fields, e.g.
nondestructive materials testing. The CT system was invented in
1972 by Godfrey Newbold Hounsfield of EMI Central Research
Laboratories (now Sensura  owned by Creative Technology Ltd.)
using X-rays. Allan McLeod Cormack of Tufts University
independently invented the same process and they shared a Nobel
Prize in medicine in 1979 (See also history of brain imaging).
The first scanner took several hours to acquire the raw data and
several days to produce the images. Modern mult