DIY CT scanner built for price of one commercial CT scan

Canadian Peter Jansen was inspired to build his CT machine after a recent (and apparently less than ideal) contact with the US health care system. He figured he could build a reasonably good X-ray scanner for a fraction of the cost of commercial machines. And why not, considering his earlier successes building tricorders and other fun instruments. CT stands for “computed tomography,” which in its usual configuration involves rotation a source of radiation, and a detector, around a patient. After each point in the region of interest is scanned, a 3D image is reconstructed with a computer.

DIY CT scanner built for price of one commercial CT scan





Found this article rather interesting. just goes to show what can be accomplished and for a hell of a lot less cash.

Well done Mr Peter Jansen!

I've worked in the field for 20 years and the safety rules and regs would never permit that for use.
The reason they are expensive is because of the precision needed to render an image and the maintenance in keeping it calibrated. The days of a single scanned have been obsolete for a couple of decades. The multi scanners or spiral scans deliver more data per rotation at a lesser overall dose. Heck before CT we used a tomograph which was nothing more that a fixed arm that attaches the tube to the bucky tray. It scanned a very small area over a timed exposure. the focal point would be clear and the rest blurred out.

When it comes to irradiating people, there are rules in place to protect patients from over exposure.
Also, owning one for use requires a physician to be on site as well.

It's a novelty to create one though.

a reply to: shadow watcher

While I agree with your sentiment and knowledge of the dangers (heck, last thing we need is a bunch of people dying of anemia from incorrectly shielded xray machines that they create....just ask Madame Curie), I feel that the main point of the post was lost in the translation. The machine is only big enough to fit an Arduino board, so it was obviously not meant to be realized as a medical device...but a point of contention against our current 'thinking'

Every generation seems to be lulled deeper and deeper into a state of 'total dependence on the societal structure' or, at least, lulled into THINKING that we are completely dependent. I see his creation as a tip for the reader that, we are not an ever more intelligent society based solely on what others have created. Every person alive (who does not have an actual neurological or mental deficiency) has the capacity to create and expand any idea that has ever been created. If the passion is there, and the desire to learn is great, any one of us could create a mini-CT scanner, or PV automobile or next generation power tool or DRONES AND COMM SURVEILLANCE NETWORKS TO SPY ON CORPORATION (I mean 'government') or DEVICE TO TEST FOR TOXIC PESTICIDE FOR GE/GMO CONTAMINATION IN URINE/BLOOD/FOOD.

I read this story and, what I get from it is...WE don't need to be dependent on the system that we so despise, WE are the reason the system is becoming fearful, because WE are the only competition to the system...free thinking, and expanding one's knowledge, can be dangerous to a system built on the foundation of total dependence and insecurity of the self.

The sentiment wasn't lost on me. I appreciate innovation on the ground floor.
It's always nice to see people doing things on their own or making things to make their life easier.
This machine kind of reminds me of the guy who used an old flatbed scanner to make a computer aided laser cutter.
I suppose I should have added my thoughts on this earlier.

My main thought originally was geared towards how regulations are so prohibitive that things like this would be impossible to market. Although pondering more on this, I could see an application for a stripped down one.
Maybe it could be used for scanning pipes for structural integrity?

a reply to: andy06shake

This is slightly off topic but I'm sat here for 30 seconds going over the title of the thread trying to work out the value of this thing...a DIY scanner the same cost as a commercial scanner?? Huh?

Then I realised it was scan and my perplexed look went away.

originally posted by: AlphaHawk
a reply to: andy06shake

This is slightly off topic but I'm sat here for 30 seconds going over the title of the thread trying to work out the value of this thing...a DIY scanner the same cost as a commercial scanner?? Huh?

Then I realised it was scan and my perplexed look went away.

The entire scanner for the cost of one SCAN with a commercial scanner.

Then I realized you read the whole thing and my perplexed look went away. DERP.

a reply to: andy06shake

I want to make one now

a reply to: VitalOverdose

Well if you have the funds, time and the required electronic and electrical engineering skills the plans are free and available via Google. If you do manage to build the device I see the radioactive isotopes required for operation being a bit of a problem unless you are licensed to purchase and handle the stuff.

Good luck!

The hell with the xray machine. I want to know about the tricorder.

a reply to: andy06shake
The parts list is somewhat...brief.
Any idea what an ino file is?

originally posted by: Phage
The hell with the xray machine. I want to know about the tricorder.

Ah good to see I was not the only one that noticed that.

a reply to: Phage

According to google "An INO file is an Arduino Sketch File, developed by Arduino.". Says its an open-source electronics prototyping platform.

Maybe try using Photoshop/adobe illustrator or there like to open. Also found this.

www.fileinfo.com...