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tomography

British  
/ təˈmɒɡrəfɪ /

noun

  1. any of a number of techniques used to obtain an X-ray photograph of a selected plane section of the human body or some other solid object

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

tomography Scientific  
/ tō-mŏgrə-fē /
  1. Any of several radiologic techniques for making detailed three-dimensional images of a plane section of a solid object, such as the body, while blurring out the images of other planes.

  2. See also computerized axial tomography positron emission tomography


tomography Cultural  
  1. A procedure by which waves are sent through an object and computers produce images of cross sections of the object by using information on how the waves are changed. Both ultrasound and CAT scans are medical uses of this technique, but it is also widely used in science and industry.


Etymology

Origin of tomography

C20: from Greek tomē a cutting + -graphy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Microcomputed tomography imaging for this project was performed at the Penn State Center for Quantitative Imaging, an Institute of the Energy and the Environment core research facility.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2026

Two-photon microscopy provided detailed images of living tissue, while microcomputed tomography offered high-resolution 3D views of entire organs.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2026

To analyze the fossil, the team used digital imaging along with micro-computed tomography, or micro-CT, which produces highly detailed images.

From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026

A puzzling fossil from the Late Devonian Gogo Formation in WA has now been examined using advanced imaging techniques such as CT scanning and computed tomography.

From Science Daily • Mar. 12, 2026

Computed tomography, for instance, visualized the internal structure of Egyptian mummies.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai