Computed tomography (CT) combines the use of X-rays with computer technology to create 3-Dimensional images. Where an x-ray is used to create a one dimensional image, computed tomography essentially uses a series of x-ray images and combines them to create a three-dimensional image. These x-ray images are created by capturing x-ray images as the CT scanner circles around the patient. By capturing images from 360 degrees, a set of data is created that can be combined to form 3-dimensional images.
The first computed tomography (CT) scanners used on detector to capture x-rays as they passed through the patient. Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) uses multiple detectors to capture a greater amount of information each time the CT scanner circles around the patient. Early MDCT scanners used 2 detectors to improve the resolution of images. Over time, 4, 16, and finally 64 detectors were used to create increasingly detailed images.
The greater number of detectors had the added benefit of completing a scan in a shorter amount of time. This is especially beneficial with imaging of the heart. Because the heart is constantly moving (unlike other parts of the body), images of the heart were often blurry. With the invention of 64-slice CT, images are captured in a short amount of time, which decreases the blurriness of the images. The combination of improved resolution in a shorter amount of time has allowed for the remarkable images of the heart that are seen on 64-Slice Multi-Detector Computed Tomography.
