tomography

noun

to·​mog·​ra·​phy tō-ˈmä-grə-fē How to pronounce tomography (audio)
: a method of producing a three-dimensional image of the internal structures of a solid object (such as the human body or the earth) by the observation and recording of the differences in the effects on the passage of waves of energy impinging on those structures compare computed tomography
tomographic adjective

Examples of tomography in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Kale arrived at the hospital on Tuesday for a computed tomography, or CT, scan. William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 14 July 2023 The skull can also be placed in a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan, which provides a detailed image of the inside of the brain cavity. Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 29 Mar. 2023 As of now, insurance typically does not cover the tests, nor another auxiliary test called a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, which can detect plaques in the brain that could signal dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Kaitlin Sullivan, Health, 26 July 2023 Interestingly, prior to construction, the company consulted with an arborist who used sonic tomography to test out which trees were the strongest and healthiest candidates for building a treehouse around. Kimberley Mok, Treehugger, 13 July 2023 And while brain scans such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can indicate damage and deterioration in a person's brain, cerebrospinal fluid collections can indicate build-up of proteins associated with Alzheimer’s. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 13 July 2023 New eye scanners called optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices are being deployed in every optometry practice, such as your local Specsavers or Vision Express. Pearse Keane, WIRED, 26 June 2023 This may involve an X-ray of the spine or computed tomography (CT) scan, in which multiple X-ray images are combined into a 3-D image. Stuart Hershman, Verywell Health, 26 June 2023 With this beefed-up Irish seismic network and data from seismometers in Britain, Lebedev and his colleagues previously used surface wave tomography to map the thickness of the lithosphere in Britain and Ireland. Elise Cutts, Discover Magazine, 29 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tomography.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Greek tomos section + International Scientific Vocabulary -graphy — more at tome

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tomography was in 1935

Dictionary Entries Near tomography

Cite this Entry

“Tomography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tomography. Accessed 21 Sep. 2023.

Medical Definition

tomography

noun
to·​mog·​ra·​phy tō-ˈmäg-rə-fē How to pronounce tomography (audio)
plural tomographies
: a method of producing a three-dimensional image of the internal structures of a solid object (as the human body) by the observation and recording of the differences in the effects on the passage of waves of energy impinging on those structures

called also stratigraphy

see computed tomography, positron-emission tomography
tomographic adjective

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