Photon-Counting Detector CT Scan of Dinosaur Fossils: Initial Experience

Background: /Objectives: Beyond clinical areas, photon-counting detector (PCD) CT is innovatively applied to study paleontological specimens such as dinosaur fossils. The aim of this study was to compare PCD-CT with conventional energy-integrating detector (EID) CT for dinosaur fossil analysis. Methods: The lower jaw of a Tyrannosaurus and the head of a Camarasaurus were imaged using a PCD-CT in ultra high-resolution mode and an EID-CT. The PCD-CT and EID-CT image quality of the dinosaurs were visually assessed. Results: Compared with EID-CT, PCD-CT yielded higher-resolution anatomical images free of image deterioration; achieving better definition of the Tyrannosaurus mandibular canal and the three semicircular canals of a Camarasaurus. Conclusions: PCD-CT clearly depicts the internal structure and morphology of dinosaur fossils without damaging them and also provides spectral information allowing researchers to gain insights into fossil mineral composition and preservation state in the future.