CT scans, also known as CAT scans, obtain multiple cross-sectional images of the body by using special X-rays and computer enhancement to create an image many times more sensitive than a simple X-ray.
Using a rotating ring, containing a fan shaped X-ray beam, the body is X-rayed from many angles. A computer captures the images and creates a detailed two-dimensional cross-section or “slice” of the body. The “slices” can then be processed further to generate 3-D images viewable from many perspectives.