UGM researchers create multi-purpose CT scan<\/p>\n
Ridlo Aryanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Just a week after physicist Kusminarto returned home after
\ncompleting his doctoral degree at Surrey University in England,
\nhe was distressed upon learning that his niece, who was being
\ntreated for brain cancer, had to spend a great amount of money to
\nhave a regular CT scan.<\/p>\n
Back then, in 1987, one session using the Computed Tomography
\n(CT) scan at Bethesda hospital in Yogyakarta where his niece was
\nbeing treated cost Rp 250,000.<\/p>\n
Kusminarto learned that the imported CT scan machine cost Rp 5
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
"Only large hospitals in major cities can afford to have a CT
\nscan. I immediately felt challenged to make a CT scan of the same
\nquality at a lower price so that even hospitals in the regencies
\ncould afford it," said the researcher at Gajah Mada University's
\nSchool of Mathematics and Natural Sciences' imaging physics
\nlaboratory.<\/p>\n
In 1988, research to create CT scan technology began with the
\nsetting up an Imaging Physics Research team comprising Kusminarto
\nhimself, Gede Bayu Suparta and Waskito.<\/p>\n
The three researchers spent 14 years on the project, which
\nreceived financing of some Rp 500 million from the Ministry of
\nNational Education's Directorate General of Higher Education. The
\nteam finally patented their work, a CT scan called Focused System
\nTomography, in June this year.<\/p>\n
How does this instrument work?<\/p>\n
"It works in a simple way. It sends X-rays to the object to be
\nscanned and these are later captured by a detector as data. This
\ndata is then sent to a computer. And in order to record every
\nside of the object, the detector, controlled by a motor, makes
\ntwo movements -- translation and rotation," Kusminarto said.<\/p>\n
Then the computer instructs the detector to take a new
\nposition. Every time there's a new position, the data will be
\ndirectly transferred to the computer. All data in the form of
\nnumerical codes are then displayed in a final output as a picture
\nand a chart.<\/p>\n
Unlike radiography technology, which can make only two-
\ndimensional recordings, a CT Scan instrument can make a three-
\ndimensional recording so that the chart produced will be of
\ngreater accuracy. "This is important for medical diagnosis," said
\nGede Bayu Suparta, who earned his doctorate in 1999 at
\nAustralia's Monash University with a dissertation on the
\ndevelopment of CT scan technology.<\/p>\n
"The digitalized imaging produced by a CT scan is multilayered
\nand it is so soft that it can penetrate blood vessels. This
\ntomographic scanning serves to map out coefficients of material
\ndifferences from an object on a microscopic scale. What results
\nis data in the form of atomic number functions of energy used in
\nan object. Therefore, a CT Scanner can be used not only for
\nmicroscopic data for medical purposes but also to scan any object
\nfor any other purpose," said Gede Bayu.<\/p>\n
A CT Scanner can be used to map out an object with a
\ndescription down to the atomic unit. Therefore, it can be used
\nnot only for medical purposes but also, for example, to detect
\nwhether a lubricant or a spark plug, for example, is genuine or
\nnot.<\/p>\n
"One day we received an order asking us to check whether the
\nwelding of an oil pipe would leak or not. On another occasion, we
\nwere asked to test the strength of a Mercedes wheel rim. A CT
\nscan can find out whether the casting is solid or not as stated
\nin the specification. Sometimes at the time of casting, air
\nbubbles are trapped, a phenomenon visible only through our CT
\nScan device," said Gede Bayu.<\/p>\n
The locally made CT Scan can be produced at the cost of Rp 2.5
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
"We designed this instrument using more efficient technology.
\nThe usual CT Scan instrument uses 1,000 detectors and each costs
\nUS$500. For our instrument, we need only one-sixth of the number.
\nTherefore we could cut down the cost but not at the expense of
\naccuracy and quality.<\/p>\n
"Owing to the progress in computer science, this CT Scan
\ninstrument can be operated by teleradiology, or remote control,
\nreducing the likelihood of being exposed to radioactive
\nmaterials. With the help of a computer we can also lower the
\nspecification of the X-ray used without compromising its
\nquality," Gede Bayu said.<\/p>\n
After inventing the CT Scan, the team also created digitalized
\nradiography technology. "However, radiography which can send two
\ndimensional data is less accurate than a CT Scanner, that can
\nsend three-dimensional data," said Gede Bayu.<\/p>\n
The team is now offering its invention to industrial circles.
\n"As the potential is good, ideally an industrial company can
\nmass-produce our invention so at least our foreign exchange
\nreserves can be considerably saved."<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ugm-researchers-create-multi-purpose-ct-scan-1447893297",
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