The anatomical record : advances in integrative anatomy and evolutionary biology
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Computed tomography scanning of mummies has been conducted for almost 40 years, and has become an increasingly popular method of mummy study in the 21st century. However, most CT scan analyses published today still do little more than praise the technique's non-destructive, non-invasive properties. ⋯ Because of this, there is very limited information available for clear interpretation of mummy CT's. This article presents a critical assessment of the development of mummy CT scanning and presents the results of two Egyptian mummies CT'ed at the Penn Museum as an example of the potentials and pitfalls of high-resolution scanning.
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Noninvasive imaging tools have been the standard in mummy studies for several decades focusing primarily on CT scan technology. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been attempted on mummified tissues on numerous occasions these have met with varying degrees of success. The basic physics of MRI are reviewed here with an emphasis on how the physics limit the success of MRI in mummified tissues. ⋯ MRI can generate basic images in most tissues even when significantly desiccated. Using an understanding of the essentials of MRI physics, with the adjustment of MRI parameters, the data acquisition process can be enhanced to create the best possible images. When successfully applied, MRI generated images can allow for the resolution of soft tissue differences, especially of collapsed internal organ masses, even in dehydrated mummies that are much less effectively rendered in CT scans.