Application of computed tomography in paleoanthropological research  

作　　者：Xiujie Wu Lynne A. Schepartz 

机构地区：[1]Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044, China [2]Department of Anthropology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-7772, USA

出　　处：《Progress in Natural Science:Materials International》2009年第8期913-921,共9页自然科学进展·国际材料（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-YW-106);National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No. 40772018);National Basic Research Pro-gram of China (Grant No. 2006CB806400).

摘　　要：Hominin fossils are the most important materials for exploring questions about human origins and evolution. Because human fossils are very rare, it is impossible to use highly destructive techniques in order to study their morphology. Traditional analyses can only rely on the information gained from the study of the external morphology of specimens, and these approaches limited the study of human evolution. The application of computed tomography （CT） has facilitated major developments in paleoanthropology. To date, few studies on Chinese hominin fossils have used CT scanning methodology, but this is rapidly changing. In order to better understand the appli- cation of CT methodology in paleoanthropology, we review the applications of CT scanning on hominin fossils throughout the world. Studies examined include virtual fossil reconstruction, the use of endocasts to elucidate brain morphology, biomechanical analyses of bone distribution, imaging of mummies and research on early human health, and skeletal and dental microanatomical research. 2009 National Natural Science Foundation of China and Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Limited and Science in China Press. All rights reserved.Hominin fossils are the most important materials for exploring questions about human origins and evolution. Because human fossils are very rare, it is impossible to use highly destructive techniques in order to study their morphology. Traditional analyses can only rely on the information gained from the study of the external morphology of specimens, and these approaches limited the study of human evolution. The application of computed tomography (CT) has facilitated major developments in paleoanthropology. To date, few studies on Chinese hominin fossils have used CT scanning methodology, but this is rapidly changing. In order to better understand the application of CT methodology in paleoanthropology, we review the applications of CT scanning on hominin fossils throughout the world. Studies examined include virtual fossil reconstruction, the use of endocasts to elucidate brain morphology, biomechanical analyses of bone distribution, imaging of mummies and research on early human health, and skeletal and dental microanatomical research.

关 键 词：PALEOANTHROPOLOGY Hominin fossil CT 3D reconstruction Virtual anatomy 

分 类 号：Q981[天文地球—古生物学与地层学] TP391.41[生物学—人类学]