Using digital photo technology to improve visualization of gastric lumen CT images

In order to evaluate the gastric lumen CT images better, a new method is being applied to images using an Image Processing software. During a 12-month period, 69 patients with various gastric symptoms and 20 normal (as far as it concerns the upper gastrointestinal system) volunteers underwent computed tomography of the upper gastrointestinal system. Just before the examination the patients and the normal volunteers underwent preparation with 40 ml soda water and 10 ml gastrografin. All the CT images were digitized with an Olympus 3.2 Mpixel digital camera and further processed with an Image Processing software. The administration per os of gastrografin and soda water resulted in the distension of the stomach and consequently better visualization of all the anatomic parts. By using an Image Processing software in a PC, all the pathological and normal images of the stomach were better diagnostically estimated. We believe that the photo digital technology improves the diagnostic capacity not only of the CT image but also in MRI and probably many other imaging methods.