Coronal and sagittal reconstructions using a 4.8 second CT body scanner: developments and applications.

A computer program was developed which enables CT scans obtained on the General Electric body scanner to be reconstructed in coronal and sagittal planes. The program may be installed in minutes and requires no additional hardware. Multiplanar reconstructions can be produced within a few minutes, using the data available from a standard series of scans. No overlapping slices or other special techniques are needed. Large areas (e.g., the entire chest or abdomen) can be reconstructed and each plane of interest separately displayed. Resolution can approximate that available in transverse scans, and the patient receives no additional radiation exposure. Multiplanar reconstruction has proven very useful in a variety of clinical situations.