Students from Saint Gabriel's College - London along with Fellow Álvaro José González Grajales from UCL Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering, aimed to compare the effectiveness of planar X-rays and 3D CT scan in visualising the intricate structures of a pig knee. By analysing the images produced by both techniques, the students sought to determine which method provided a more detailed and accurate representation of the bone and cartilage components.

The pig knee, a complex anatomical structure, was chosen as a suitable model due to its similarities to the human knee! The experiment involved obtaining samples of porcine bone and cartilage, preparing them for imaging, and then scanning them using both X-ray and CT techniques.

The students compared the images produced by each technique, focusing on factors such as image quality, detail, and the ability to differentiate between different tissue types. While X-rays provided a basic overview, CT offered a significantly more detailed view of the bone, cartilage, and surrounding tissues!

This experiment highlights the advantages of CT over X-rays in certain medical applications, particularly those that require detailed visualization of soft tissue structures. By providing a more comprehensive understanding of the anatomy, CT can aid in diagnosis, treatment planning, and surgical procedures.