CT Scanner

Hello there. I am a CT Scanner. I look like a giant, white donut that is round and smooth. You can lie down on a comfy bed that slides right through my middle. My job is super special. I take pictures of what’s inside your body, like your tummy or your head. It’s like having superhero vision. Long ago, if your tummy hurt, doctors had a very hard time seeing what was going on inside. They wished they could peek inside to find the problem. That's when I was thought of, to help them see everything clearly and help you feel better.

Two very smart friends named Godfrey Hounsfield and Allan Cormack made me. They had a wonderful, brilliant idea. They thought, 'What if we take lots of sleepy X-ray pictures and let a super-smart computer put them all together?'. So they built me to do just that. When you lie down, I spin around you very gently. Whoosh. Whoosh. I take pictures from every side, just like you might look at a yummy birthday cake from all around before you cut a slice. Then, my computer friend takes all those pictures and builds a map of the inside. The very first time I got to help a person was on a special day, October 1st, 1971. I was so excited to start my new job.

Now, I get to be a super helper for doctors. They are like detectives, and my pictures are their special clues. With my pictures, they can see your bones, your amazing brain, and even your busy belly. If there is a little boo-boo or something that hurts, my pictures help the doctor find it right away. Then they know exactly what to do to help you feel all better. I feel so proud when I work with doctors. I love being a helper and making sure all my friends are healthy, happy, and strong.