A milestone for medical imaging at Amsterdam UMC

Amsterdam UMC has installed a 7,500 kg Micro-CT scanner by TESCAN, the largest of its kind ever placed in an academic hospital. This advanced equipment, requiring a major logistical effort and the expertise of Koninklijke Saan 

and MedicomZes, was successfully craned into the Radiology Department on early Saturday morning, reflecting an extraordinary team achievement.

Why Micro-CT matters?

Micro-CT, widely used in materials science, is now enabling highly detailed three-dimensional imaging of human embryos, fetuses, and surgical specimens at Amsterdam UMC. With scan resolutions down to 2 micrometres (about 1/35th the width of a human hair), this technology allows clinicians and researchers to visualise delicate structures never before accessible, advancing both medical research and patient care.

This installation paves the way for Micro-CT to join ultrasound, CT, and MRI as an essential modality in both research and clinical diagnostics — offering unique high-resolution insight into tissues and conditions previously out of reach with conventional imaging.

Before the arrival of the new scanner, our team already achieved major advances using Micro-CT:
— Daniël Docter & Ramon Gorter: New understanding of muscle tissue in anorectal malformation surgery
— Veerle Michels & Judith Huirne: Mapped uterine vasculature (healthy and adenomyosis cases) with Micro-CT and HiP-CT
— Yousif Dawood & Sophie Caroline Visser: Internationally recognised for Micro-CT mapping of fetal development and nearing completion of the 3D Fetal Atlas

This achievement was possible thanks to close collaboration between Radiology, Paediatric Surgery, and Pathology Departments, together with Principal Investigators Ramon Gorter, Eva Pajkrt, Judith Huirne, Wessel Ganzevoort, Christianne de Groot, and Bernadette de Bakker, and the critical support of the Little Miracles Foundation. Over 30 colleagues from procurement, IT, radiation safety, and facilities contributed their expertise and commitment.

Special thanks to Nick Lobé, Jaco Hagoort, Daniël Docter, Ramon Gorter, Astrid Pijpker, Amel Alagic, Peter Blankers, Robert Hemke, and the TESCAN XRE team (Wesley De Boever, Michiel Krols, Jan Dewanckele, Filip Maerten) for their vision and efforts.

Support future innovation in medical imaging via LTLmiracles.com.