computerized tomography

computerized tomography

[kəm′pyüd·ə‚rīzd tə′mäg·rə·fē]

(medicine)

The process of producing a picture showing human body organs in cross section by first electronically detecting the variation in x-ray transmission through the body section at different angles, and then using this information in a digital computer to reconstruct the x-ray absorption of the tissues at an array of points representing the cross section. Abbreviated CT. Also known as computed tomography; computerized axial tomography (CAT).

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.