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Desktop X-ray Microtomography
SkyScan 1172 High-Resolution Micro-CT

A BRIGHT IDEA IN MICROTOMOGRAPHY...

The SkyScan 1172 Desktop X-ray Microtomograph (Micro-CT) employs new ADAPTIVE GEOMETRY to provide non-destructive 3D microscopy of the internal structures of small objects with high spatial resolution and unprecedented speed.

The 1172 moves the source and camera closer together, according to the field of view, to increase the intensity of X-rays that the camera sees by up to 16 times. This means that you can complete a scan in as little as 5 minutes...for 1000 slices!

Skip To:Intro to CT, Adaptive Geometry, Applications, Specifications, Bone Software, More Applications

 

X-Ray Microtomograph

 

 

No specimen preparation

5 micron resolution. 1 micron detectability

3D microscopy of internal structures.

Specially developed reconstruction software to run under Windows XP

Network Reconstruction--Use normally idle computers on your network.

 
Related products
1174 Compact Micro-CT Special Stages for 1172
SkyScan 1173 High Energy Micro-CT 2011 Nano-Tomograph

SkyScan 1076 In Vivo Micro-CT

 2D & 3D Analysis Software
1178 High-Throughput In Vivo/Vitro Micro-CT Attachment Kit for SEM

 

Fibers
Tooth/Enamel
Aluminum Foam
Mouse Knee

 

Introduction to X-ray Microtomography

The powerful imaging capabilities of X-ray Tomography are now available in a desktop instrument suitable for microscopic imaging of small objects for a wide variety of applications: 3D bone architecture / analysis, microelectronics, materials, biological and geological sciences.
    Now being marketed by Micro Photonics in North America, the SkyScan Microtomograph is a compact desktop X-ray tomography system with microscopic resolution. Microtomography works in exactly the same way as the X-ray tomography systems (CAT-scans) used in medicine but with much finer resolution. Internal structures are reconstructed as a set of flat cross sections which are then used to analyze the two and three dimensional morphological parameters of the object. The process is non destructive and requires no special preparation of the specimen. The 3D spatial resolution of the SkyScan desktop microtomograph is 5 microns and features as small as 1 microns can be visualized. The 100kV 1172 has the best resolution available in desktop micro-CTs.

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Adaptive Geometry
The innovative, flexible geometry of the SkyScan 1172 scanner is particularly advantageous over intermediate resolution levels, where scans are several times faster (to obtain the same or better image quality compared to micro-CT systems with a fixed source-detector design. The cooled X-ray digital camera achieves high spatial resolution without compromising sample size. Fast scan and reconstruction throughput is supported by a computer cluster option, that reconstructs scan datasets in less time than the scan duration in most cases, using several PCs in parallel. Cross section images are generated in a wide range of formats up to 8K x 8K.

 

Applications of the SkyScan Micro-CTs
  • Biomedical 
  • Pharmaceutical 
  • Geological specimens
  • Biological specimens
  • Medical imaging
  • Bone / trabecular analysis
  • Non destructive inspection
  • Diamonds
  • Electronic components and packaging
  • Plus many more...
Visit our applications page for examples

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Specifications
 
1172 50mm Field-Of-View Camera 68mm Field of View Camera
X-Ray Source
Spot Size
<8um@8W , 20-80kV, 0-100uA spot size
<5um@4W, 20-100kV, 0-250uA (10W max)
X-ray Source
sealed microfocus X-ray tube, air cooled, >10000h lifetime
X-Ray Detector
CCD 12-bit digital cooled CCD with fibre optic coupling to scintillator
Smallest Detail Detectability
~1 um
Resolution at 10% MTF
5 um with 100kV source
8 um with 80kV source
Pixel size @ Max. Magnification
<0.8 um
Number of Pixels
4000 x 2400
Field of View - (Max)
50 mm diamter
70 mm height
  Automatic filter changer for beam-hardening compensation and multi energy scanning.
Maximum Object Size for Reconstruction
Standard Scan
27mm
Offset Scan
50mm (twice longer)
Other Specifications
Computer
System control,
3D-reconstruction and image analysis		 Workstation with Dual Quad Core, 4GB RAM, internal DVD-Writer,
2-300GB HDD
256MB graphical card with OpenGL-accelerator,
19" UltraSharp LCD screen, Optical Mouse with wheel,
integrated Gigabit (10/100/1000) network,
Digital Frame Grabber for X-ray camera + Analog FrameGrabber for visual camera on the object stage,
Microsoft Windows-XP Professional
Reconstruction Algorithms Cone-beam volumetric reconstruction (Feldkamp algorithm)
Radiation Safety <1uSv/h at any point of the instrument surface
Size / Weight / Desk-top case 1250x690x360 /180kg,
Power 100-130V AC, 4A or 200-240V AC, 3A 50-60Hz (scanner only),
Operation Conditions -10C...+50C storage, 18C...25C operation, 70% humidity max. (no condensation)

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Software for Bone Analysis
SkyScan has developed software specifically designed for analyzing bone and similar structures.  You can quickly analyze the series of slices individually or as a 3D volume.  Using the SkyScan micro-CTs with their CT-analysis software, you can calculate:
  • BV
  • BV/TV
  • BS/BV
  • Tb.Th
  • Tb.Sp
  • Tb.N
  • Tb.Pf
  • P.Pl (percent plate)
  • Euler number
  • SMI
  • Anisotropy tensors

With region of interest selection by either circle , ellipse or free hand drawing, you can make sure you are only analyzing the appropriate areas of your samples.
 Local thresholding - an exclusive feature, includes the normally under-represented smaller trabecular structure.
For more information:

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Electrolytic Capacitor

shadow image of capacitor

Fast Scan - 14 microns

1172/100kV/10Mpixel

Parts of reconstructed slices scanned with 2um isotropic voxel size (reduced)

 
Human Lung Tissue (Ex Vivo)

High Res. Scan -1.9 micron pixel

1172/100kV/10Mpixel using contrast agent and CTAn software

 

 

Maximum Intensity Projection (MIP) of lungs vascular structure, 5.7um pixel size

 
Small SMD Inductor in Plastic Casing

7 micron pixel scan

1172/100kV/10Mpixel

 

 

3D modeling using CTAn and CTVol software

 
Visit our applications page for examples

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PO Box 50443
Irvine, CA 92619-0443
Tel: (949) 461-9292 Fax: (949) 461-9232		 PO Box 3129 
Allentown, PA 18106-0129 
Tel: (610) 366-7103 Fax: (610) 366-7105