computerized axial tomography

noun

1. the process of producing a CAT scan.

computerized axial tomography

/ kəm-pyo̅o̅′tə-rīzd′ /

1. Tomography in which computer analysis of a series of cross-sectional x-ray images made along a single axis of a bodily structure or tissue is used to construct a three-dimensional image of that structure. The technique is used in diagnostic studies of internal bodily structures, as in the detection of tumors or brain aneurysms.

Word History and Origins

Origin of computerized axial tomography¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

The project’s headline innovation has been the use of computerized axial tomography, popularly known as CAT scans, which employ radio waves and magnetic fields to generate detailed internal images of the body.

From National Geographic