CT imaging of human mummies: a critical review of the literature (1979–2005)

Abstract

The number of computerised tomography (CT) investigations of mummies has increased since the first published study in 1979. However, this approach has never been validated. We present a critical analysis of the literature (1979 to 2005). Relevant articles were selected via a MedLine search and analysed according to CT technique, methodology, and author's speciality. Thirty-one original articles matched our selection criteria. Of these studies, 42% were authored by radiologists, while 26% had no contribution from radiologists. Hypothesis-driven papers comprised only 9.7% of the total. While 84% of the studies had a stated purpose for conducting the CT study, only 67% of studies defined their CT protocol clearly. CT was used to study mummification techniques in 74% of instances, and/or to detect disease in 58%. Conclusions based on CT analysis were derived in 84% of studies, but only 32% of these answered specific questions. Furthermore, only 36% of these conclusions were related to the stated purpose of the study. Using the criteria of the grading system we developed, we found that 61% of studies were supported only by weak evidence. We conclude that evidence-based research with better design should be encouraged in future palaeoradiological studies.

“The Opening of the Mouth”—A New Perspective for an Ancient Egyptian Mummification Procedure

“…However, if the soft tissue or even the bandages were still present, a radiological examination was necessary. For this, computed tomography (CT) is the gold standard (O'Brien et al, ; Wade et al, ). The different possibilities for processing the primary data allowed by an “electronic dissection” (Melcher et al, ) the close examination of the fine oral structures.…”

Invasive versus Non Invasive Methods Applied to Mummy Research: Will This Controversy Ever Be Solved?

“…Over the last decade, a new generation of CAT scanners with increased power of resolution has been released and virtual autopsy has become one of the basic steps in any scientific investigation of mummified remains [ 12 ]. Visualization technology is an efficient tool in hard and soft tissue paleopathology [ 13 ].…”

The Analysis and Interpretation of Mummifi ed Remains

“…The past century has seen the progression of radiological study from relatively basic X-rays (Harris and Wente 1980) to sophisticated CT analyses (Wong 1981;Chemm and Rühli 2005;Allam 2009;O'Brien et al 2009;Hawass 2010), resulting in nondestructive examinations, including CT-guided endoscopic biopsies, yielding a high level of diagnoses, such as the determination of the cause of death of the Iceman 5,300 years B.P., a stone arrowhead having lacerated his subclavian artery (Pernter et al 2007). The past century has seen the progression of radiological study from relatively basic X-rays (Harris and Wente 1980) to sophisticated CT analyses (Wong 1981;Chemm and Rühli 2005;Allam 2009;O'Brien et al 2009;Hawass 2010), resulting in nondestructive examinations, including CT-guided endoscopic biopsies, yielding a high level of diagnoses, such as the determination of the cause of death of the Iceman 5,300 years B.P., a stone arrowhead having lacerated his subclavian artery (Pernter et al 2007).…”