Computed Tomography

History and Technology

 Talking About Innovations

In the 1970s, Computed Tomography (CT) has sparked a revolution in

both medical engineering and medical applications. Today, CT represents
not only a well-established technology in the world of medicine, but has
even advanced to be an indispensable and integral component of routine
work in clinics and medical practices.

From the beginning, Siemens Medical Solutions has been an innovation

leader in CT technology. Focal points regarding technological
and design developments have always been patient and user-
friendliness, optimized workflow, excellent image quality,
and advanced diagnostic possibilities. The goal has been
to make CT examinations as comfortable and pleasant as
possible for both the patient and the operator.

This brochure gives a short overview of and insight into the

history of CT and the technology behind it – from the beginning
to the present.

And Siemens will continue to further develop and drive innovations

in CT.

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Historical Outline 4

What is CT? 6

Components of a CT System 8

Clinical Use of CT 10

Milestones in CT
1974 – First CT System 12
1987 – First Spiral CT 16
1998 – First Multislice CT 20
2005 – First Dual Source CT 26

Portfolio of Siemens CT Solutions 30

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 1974 1987/88

First CT System – First Spiral CT –

SIRETOM SOMATOM Plus

11/08/1895 1972

X-ray Radiation Computed Tomography

The physicist and later
Nobel Prize winner
Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen
(1845–1923) discovers
X-ray radiation
In London, Godfrey N. Instant image Continuous rotation
Hounsfield’s development reconstruction of tube and detector
of computed tomography
Shorter examination
marks the beginning of
times
a new era in diagnostic
imaging Increased patient
comfort

SOMATOM Plus CT system

X-ray image of SIRETOM CT system

4 his wife’s hand
 1998 2005

First Multislice CT – First Dual Source CT –

SOMATOM Volume Zoom SOMATOM Definition

1994 1996/97 2003

SOMATOM Plus 4 Lightning UFC™ STRATON®

Subsecond spiral CT UFC (Ultra Fast Multislice spiral Introduction of Revolutionary

Ceramic) Detector scanning with 4 slices Siemens’ proprietary technological
Larger volumes
per rotation STRATON® X-ray tube development:
acquired faster, shorter Same image quality
technology Dual Source CT
breath hold, improved with significantly Fastest rotation time
with two X-ray units
thin-slice resolution reduced radiation of 0.5 s Extremely high cooling
and two detectors
dose rate and smaller tube
First use of Cardio CT in one gantry
size due to direct oil
in routine operation
cooling of the anode

Subsecond spiral CT, long MPR,

abdomen/pelvis, SOMATOM Plus 4
5
 What is CT?

Since Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered X-rays

in 1895, researchers have been trying to find ways
to image the body down to the smallest anatomical
detail in two and even three dimensions. In the
1970s, the British engineer Godfrey N. Hounsfield
and the American physician A. M. Cormack invented
Computed Tomography (CT) by combining X-ray
X-ray image technology with computers. This special X-ray
of the hand of method takes slice images from different body
Ms. Roentgen regions and visualizes not only bones, but also soft
tissue. For this invention, the two scientists were
Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1979.
(1845–1923), the
discoverer of X-rays CT is considered to be the greatest innovation in the
field of radiology since the discovery of X-rays, as
this imaging technique provides physicians with an
insight into the body that was not possible before.
Today, CT is one of the most important methods of
radiological diagnosis. It delivers non-superimposed,
cross-sectional images of the body and shows
smaller contrast differences than conventional
X-ray images. This allows better visualization of
specific, differently structured soft-tissue regions,
which cannot be visualized by mere X-ray exams.

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Setup of a CT System

A CT system comprises several components. These

basically include:

• The scanning unit, i.e. the gantry, which consists

of the X-ray unit and the detector unit.
• The patient table.
• The image processor for image reconstruction.
• The console.

In CT scanners both the X-ray unit (or tube), which

functions as a transmitter, and the detector unit,
which operates as a receiver, are housed in a ring-
shaped unit called the gantry. In the gantry, the Scanning Patient Image Console
detector is positioned opposite the X-ray unit. The unit table processor
patient table is located in the middle of the gantry.
During a CT examination, the gantry rotates around
the patient’s body. X-rays passing the body of the
The console represents the man-machine interface
patient are attenuated depending on the thickness
and is designed to be multi-functional. It is the control
of the tissue. The detector receives these attenuated
unit for all examination procedures and is also used
X-rays and converts them into visible light.
to evaluate the examination results. To enhance
Photodiodes transform this light into electrical signals,
workflow, Siemens has developed a double console
which are then converted into digital signals by
capable of performing both functions at the same
integrated detector electronics. These digital signals
time.
are then transmitted over high-speed fiber optics
to the image processor. High-resolution images are
then generated in real-time by complex computer
calculations.

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 Components of a CT System

X-ray components Data acquisition component

• X-ray unit or tube • Detector

Manufacturers of CT systems use X-ray units with
variable focal spot sizes. It’s like in photography: for
low-contrast images one needs a large focal spot,
whereas high-resolution images with thin slices
require a small focal spot. Regarding power, tubes
used in modern CT scanners have a power rating
of 20 to 80 kW at voltages of 80 to 140 kV. The
scanner can, however, be operated at maximum
power for a limited time only. These limits are
defined by the properties of the anode and the
generator. To prevent overloading of the X-ray
unit, the power must be reduced for long scans.
The development of multislice detector systems
has practically excluded this limitation, since
these detector units make much more efficient
use of the available tube power.
The detector unit plays a special role in the
interaction of the CT components. It converts the
incident X-rays of varying intensity into electric
signals. These analog signals are amplified by
downstream electronic components and converted
to digital pulses. Over time, certain materials have
proven very effective in the utilization of X-rays.
For example, Siemens uses Ultra Fast Ceramic
(UFC™) Detectors, which, due to their excellent
material properties, dramatically improve image
quality without an increase in X-ray dose.

• Shielding
Every CT scanner is equipped with grids, collimators,
and filters to provide shielding against scattered
radiation, to define the scan slice, and to absorb
the low-energy portion of the X-ray spectrum.
Thus, both the patient and the examiner receive
little scattered radiation.

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Rotation of
X-ray unit and
detector

X-ray unit =
tube

Scanning unit =
gantry

Patient table

Data acquisition
unit = detector

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 Clinical Use of CT
CT in general clinical use
Major technological and clinical advances in recent
years have made CT scanners a standard examination
tool for many patient indications. Siemens’ CT scanners
exclusively deliver the exceptional spatial and temporal
resolution physicians need. Additionally, Siemens
developed specific software applications to streamline
clinical workflow from acquisition to postprocessing
and reporting, thus providing physicians and
their patients with ultimate clinical solutions for
cardiovascular CT, oncology, neurology, and routine
imaging such as chest CT. What’s more, Siemens CT
scanners are not only used in hospitals or private
practices. They are also the preferred tools of many
of the world’s clinical research facilities.
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CT-Angiography (CTA)
CT-Angiography enables the display of vascular
structures aided by the injection of a contrast medium.
The introduction of multislice CT scanners has made
it possible to display the entire vascular system with
maximum contrast enhancement in extremely short
scan times. Image postprocessing enables a good
display of the entire vascular system. Even small
vascular exits and origins (branches) and embolisms
or dissection membranes can be visualized. The
physician can retrospectively select any projection
and generate three-dimensional images, e.g. for
surgical planning.
Clinical benefits of CT at a glance
• Excellent image quality for confident diagnosis.
• Intuitive vessel analysis and treatment planning.
• Enhanced solutions for confident assessment of
cancer patients, providing accurate information
for diagnosis, staging, and follow up for a wide
range of tumors.
• Speed and high image quality needed for a fast
assessment of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke
and brain tumors.
When is a CT examination indicated?

Here are several examples of CT examinations:

• Head • Abdomen
• Neck • Extremities
• Thorax • Spine

Head Thorax Abdomen/pelvis

Head, general/brain Interpleural space Liver
Eye socket Thorax high resolution CT-Arterioportography (CTAP)
Sella turcica Thoracic vessels Pancreas
Petrous bones Pulmonary vessels Kidneys, biphase
Paranasal sinuses Heart Adrenal glands
Circle of Willis Renal arteries
3D cranial, facial bone Abdominal vessels
Small pelvis
Vessels, pelvic/lower extremity

Spine Extremities
Cervical spine Shoulder joint
Thoracic spine Hip joint
Lumbar spine Wrist bone
Knee joint
Foot
Neck
Cervical soft tissue
Carotids

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1974
12
First CT System –
SIRETOM

13
 Sequential CT

In 1974, Siemens was the first medical equipment

manufacturer worldwide to introduce a CT system –
SIRETOM, the first head scanner. Later sequential
CT systems produced cross-sectional images of the
entire body by scanning a transverse slice of the
body from different angular positions while the tube
and detector rotate 360° around the patient with the
table being stationary. The image is reconstructed
from the resulting projection data. After each scanning
sequence, the table moves a little bit along the
longitudinal axis of the body (z-direction) before
the next scan is taken.

If the patient moves during the acquisition, however,

the data obtained from the different angular positions
are no longer consistent. The result: the image is
degraded by motion artifacts and may be only of
limited diagnostic value. This tomographic technique
is not suitable for the diagnosis of anatomical regions
with automatic movement such as the heart or
the lung.

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Direction of patient transport
after each scanning sequence

Path of rotating gantry

(tube and detector)

z-direction

15
1987
16
First Spiral CT –
SOMATOM Plus Classic

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 Spiral CT

Siemens introduced SOMATOM Plus Classic, the first

Spiral CT system for routine clinical use, in 1987.
Spiral CT is a technical advancement of Computed
Tomography. Often referred to as “volume scanning“,
it uses a different scanning principle in comparison
to sequential CT: the patient on the table is moved
continuously through the scan field in the longitudinal
axis of the body (z-direction), while the gantry
performs multiple 360° rotations. Thus, the X-ray
traces a spiral around the body, producing a data
volume. This volume is created from a multitude
of three-dimensional picture elements, i.e. voxels.

Software applications enable the clinical use of Spiral

CT even for regions that are subject to involuntary
movements, such as the lung.

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Direction of continuous
patient transport

Path of rotating gantry

(tube and detector)

z-direction

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1998
20
First Multislice CT –
SOMATOM Volume Zoom

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 Multislice Detector

With SOMATOM Volume Zoom, Siemens introduced

its first multislice CT scanner in 1998. Having multiple
detector slices, multislice CT detectors utilize radiation
delivered from the X-ray tube more efficiently than
single slice detectors. By simultaneously scanning
several slices of the body, the scan time can be reduced
significantly and the smallest details can be scanned
within practicable scan times.

In the adaptive array detectors used by Siemens,

the slices inside the detector are very narrow,
becoming wider as one moves toward its outer edges
in the longitudinal axis of the body (z-direction).
A combination of collimation and electronic
interconnection provides considerable flexibility
in the selection of slice thickness. At the same
time, the space required by the detector septa, and
therefore the unused space, is minimized.

Multislice CT enables a wide range of clinical

applications from 3D to perfusion imaging to
CT fluoroscopy.

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 Single slice CTs have only one detector slice in the
direction of the longitudinal axis of the patient
(z-direction), while multislice CTs have multiple
detector slices, scanning several slices of the body
at the same time.

X-ray tube

Tube collimator

Collimated slice

Detector collimator
1-slice 16-slice
detector detector

Single slice spiral acquisition. 16-slice spiral acquisition. 23

 STRATON X-ray Tube
Since the discovery of X-rays, engineers have
ceaselessly been trying to increase the heat storage
capacity of X-ray tubes in order to make them faster.
In 2003, Siemens has set a benchmark with its
revolutionary STRATON® technology, which is based
on direct cooling of the X-ray unit.
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Conventional X-ray tubes use a rotating anode
mounted in a vacuum. The limited heat exchange
between the anode and the cooling oil results in a
slow cooling rate and consequently in a build up of
the anode heat. Thus, large anodes are required
that are capable of storing the high amounts of heat
produced during X-ray exams.
Siemens’ STRATON X-ray tube, on the other hand,
provides innovative direct oil cooling of the anode
with ball bearings located outside the vacuum.
Similar to Electron Beam CT, an electron beam is
shaped and controlled by an electromagnetic field,
all within the X-ray tube assembly. This technology
ensures an extremely high cooling rate, resulting in
an exceptionally fast rotation time. In addition, the
inner tube assembly is significantly smaller than
those used in conventional X-ray tubes, resulting in
a slim tube design.
Conventional anode heats Due to fastest anode cooling,
up quickly and cools down STRATON never accumulates
only slowly after exposure. heat during exposure.

Anode
Vacuum
Cathode Anode
Heat

1
2
1

Cooling oil
Cooling oil
Cathode

STRATON X-ray tube

and mobile phone
shown in comparison.
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2005
26
First Dual Source CT –
SOMATOM Definition

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 Dual Source CT

In 2005, Siemens revolutionized the world of CT

with the introduction of SOMATOM Definition.
What makes this new CT scanner so special is its
new technology, which is called Dual Source CT.
It is based on the addition of a second X-ray unit and
a second detector. As a result, Dual Source CT offers
unprecedented image quality and detail at lowest
radiation exposure while ensuring substantially
increased diagnostic speed and confidence –
allowing physicians to scan every heart at any heart
rate. What’s more, Dual Source CT provides one-stop
diagnoses for most patients regardless of size,
condition, and heart rate, which is a key pre-requisite
to make it a sophisticated tool in acute care.

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X-ray unit 1

Rotation of
X-ray unit and
detector

X-ray unit 2

Rotation of
X-ray unit and
detector

Gantry

Patient table

Detector 1

Detector 2

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 Portfolio of Siemens CT Solutions

Siemens offers the right scanner for any medical SOMATOM Spirit – Join the World of CT
facility from smaller practices to hospitals to research
SOMATOM Spirit is the ideal CT scanner for smaller
facilities and to examine medical conditions from
practices, as it is cost-efficient and needs only little
head to toe.
space.
Siemens’ SOMATOM family comprises the following
CT scanners: SOMATOM Emotion – Efficiency in CT

SOMATOM Emotion is an excellent choice for bigger

private practices or smaller hospitals. It is a great
choice to meet everyday needs in CT.

SOMATOM Sensation – Performance in CT

Due to its excellent performance, SOMATOM

Sensation is well-established in both clinical routine
and advanced research.

SOMATOM Definition – Excellence in CT

SOMATOM Definition is the latest revolution in CT.

Its new Dual Source CT technology promotes
pioneering new clinical opportunities at the highest
level, making it the ideal choice for bigger hospitals
and research facilities.

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SOMATOM Spirit SOMATOM Emotion

SOMATOM Sensation SOMATOM Definition

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On account of certain regional limitations of sales rights
and service availability, we cannot guarantee that all
products included in this brochure are available through
the Siemens sales organization worldwide. Availability
and packaging may vary by country and is subject to
change without prior notice. Some/All of the features
and products described herein may not be available in
the United States.

The information in this document contains general

technical descriptions of specifications and options as
well as standard and optional features which do not
always have to be present in individual cases.

Siemens reserves the right to modify the design,

packaging, specifications, and options described herein
without prior notice. Please contact your local Siemens
sales representative for the most current information.

Note: Any technical data contained in this document

may vary within defined tolerances. Original images
always lose a certain amount of detail when reproduced.

The statements contained herein are based on the actual

experience of Siemens customers. Siemens maintains
data on file to support these claims. However, these
statements do not suggest or constitute a warranty that
all product experience will yield similar results. Results
may vary, based on the particular circumstances of
individual sites and users.

Please find fitting accessories:

www.siemens.com/medical-accessories

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Headquarters Contact Address

Siemens AG, Medical Solutions Siemens AG, Medical Solutions
Henkestr. 127, D-91052 Erlangen Computed Tomography
Germany Siemensstr. 1, D-91301 Forchheim © 03.2006, Siemens AG
Order No. A91100-M2100-3420-1-7600
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