Archaeologists have dabbled with using X - rays to study ancient mommy since the turn of the 20th hundred . Some 120 years on , the imaging techniques used to learn about the life and death of these mass have become unbelievably knock-down . research worker in Sweden have develop a technique that can image the flaccid tissue of an ancient Egyptian mummy down to a microscopic level – even pick up on the remains of item-by-item prison cell .
As reported in the journalRadiology , researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology / Albanova University Center in Stockholm , Sweden have used a computed tomography ( CT ) technique to picture the soft tissue of an ancient Egyptian mummy ’s hand . Within these paradigm , we are able to see the fine biologic details of the mummy , with a resolution between 6 and 9 micrometers – that ’s just a little bigger than a human red blood cell .
The mitt was brought from Egypt to Sweden at the end of the 19th hundred and dates back to around 400 BCE . The revolutionary new proficiency even allowed the researchers to see nerves , the blood vessel in the nail beds , unlike layers of the pelt , and even the remains of adipose ( avoirdupois - storing ) jail cell .
Not only will this technique be used to create some ultra - mellow definition image to document ancient momma , but it could also even be used to increase our understanding of ancient disease .
" For studying bone and other hard , dense materials , absorption contrast works well , but for soft tissues , the absorption dividing line is too low to furnish detailed information , " Jenny Romell , from KTH Royal Institute of Technology / Albanova University Center , said in astatement .
" This is why we instead propose propagation - based phase angle - dividing line imagery . "
Propagation - based form - contrast imagination detects both the engrossment and phase shift that pass as decade - shaft pass through a sample . This creates different degrees of contrast within an image and provide for subtler details to come forth , not just a simple black-market - and - white jut .
" There is a risk of exposure of missing tracing of diseases only preserved within the soft tissue if only absorption - contrast imaging is used , " Romell added .
" With phase - dividing line imaging , however , the sonant tissue paper structures can be image down to cellular solving , which open up the chance for detailed analysis of the soft tissues . "
It ’s still relatively former days for the proficiency , especially in this field , but the researcher argue that it could someday be widely used in the field of study of mummies and other ancient remains .
" Just as conventional CT has become a standard procedure in the investigation of mummies and other ancient remains , we see stage - contrast CT as a natural complement to the subsist methods , " Romell enjoin .
