Which technology produces cross-sectional views by stacking many slices from different angles?

• A. X-ray
• B. Ultrasound
• C. CT scan
• D. Mammography

Answer: (C)

Cross-sectional imaging created by stacking many slices from different angles is CT scanning. In CT, a rotating X-ray source and detectors around the patient collect numerous thin projection images from multiple angles. A computer then reconstructs these projections into axial slices that show the body's internal cross-sections. You can view these slices in sequence to see how anatomy occupies different layers, and they can be assembled into three-dimensional representations as well. This approach is distinct from a standard X-ray, which produces a single two-dimensional image; ultrasound, which uses sound waves for real-time 2D or 3D images; and mammography, which is focused breast imaging typically yielding 2D views (with newer tomosynthesis providing thin sections but still rooted in X-ray projection concepts).