3D X-rays in the Courtroom

3D X-rays in the Courtroom

A new technology finds an unexpected use For hundreds of years humanity has been using scientific research to create commercial products. Penicillin was created by accident in a laboratory, then was quickly adapted for use in medicine. The adhesive on a Post-it note was the product of a failed scientific experiment, but was quickly commercialized into the product it is today. There have been thousands of spinoff technologies to come out of NASA. Modern science is no different, and today we are constantly finding ways to incorporate this scientific research into our everyday lives.In 1998, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) began developing a massive particle accelerator outside of Geneva. This became known as the Large Hadron Collider, it’s purpose is to help answer some of the fundamental questions in physics by accelerating particles to a rate approaching the speed of light, smashing them together, and recording the results.In order to record these coll

Published On: 30 Mar 2020 2 mins read

Medical Demonstrative Exhibits

A new technology finds an unexpected use

For hundreds of years humanity has been using scientific research to create commercial products. Penicillin was created by accident in a laboratory, then was quickly adapted for use in medicine. The adhesive on a Post-it note was the product of a failed scientific experiment, but was quickly commercialized into the product it is today. There have been thousands of spinoff technologies to come out of NASA. Modern science is no different, and today we are constantly finding ways to incorporate this scientific research into our everyday lives.

In 1998, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) began developing a massive particle accelerator outside of Geneva. This became known as the Large Hadron Collider, it’s purpose is to help answer some of the fundamental questions in physics by accelerating particles to a rate approaching the speed of light, smashing them together, and recording the results.

In order to record these collisions CERN developed a number of chips that can detect individual particles, similar to the way that a chip in a digital camera might detect light. Although these sensors were originally developed for the Large Hadron Collider, scientists quickly realized this technology could be commercialized and used in medical imaging, and the Medipix chip was born.

A traditional x-ray can have trouble differentiating between two different tissues of similar densities, and therefore it can be an imperfect diagnostic tool. The Medipix chip has a much higher sensitivity than a traditional x-ray, and uses x-ray photons of varying energy levels. Each energy level reacts differently to each specific tissue type, and a series of 3-D images are created, one for each type of tissue. Each image is given a color (yellow for fat, red for muscle, etc.) and combined into a single multi-color, high-resolution 3-D image. The result is an image with unprecedented color, clarity and accuracy.

       A 3-D x-ray of a wrist and watch.

Another exciting potential for this technology is in diagnosing disease. Researchers have already begun using the MARS scanner to study cancer, bone and joint health, and the vascular diseases that cause heart attacks and strokes. Professor Anthony Butler mentions that, “In all of these studies, promising early results suggest that when spectral imaging is routinely used in clinics it will enable more accurate diagnosis and personalisation of treatment.”

At Trial Exhibits we routinely use all sorts of reliable medical imaging formats; 2-D and 3-D, often with color enhancements, to present our client’s evidence. Will these formats be replaced? It may not be today, but we look forward to using one of these incredibly accurate, eye-popping 3-D color images in the near future. From the Large Hadron Collider to an American courtroom, it’s another example of science producing products that will change our everyday lives.