Salucci Sara, Traversari Mirko, Valentini Laura, Versari Ilaria, Ventura Luca, Giampalma Emanuela, Righi Elena, Petrella Enrico, Gobbi Pietro, Pasquinelli Gianandrea, Faenza Irene
Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
Tomography. 2025 Jan 3;11(1):5. doi: 10.3390/tomography11010005.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Mummy studies allow to reconstruct the characteristic of a population in a specific spatiotemporal context, in terms of living conditions, pathologies and death. Radiology represents an efficient diagnostic technique able to establish the preservation state of mummified organs and to estimate the patient's pathological conditions. However, the radiological approach shows some limitations. Although bone structures are easy to differentiate, soft tissue components are much more challenging, especially when they overlap. For this reason, computed tomography, a well-established approach that achieves optimal image contrast and three-dimensional reconstruction, has been introduced. This original article focuses attention on the role of virtual dissection as a promising technology for exploring human mummy anatomy and considers the potential of environmental scanning electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy as complementary approaches useful to understand the state of preservation of mummified remains.
Ancient mummy corps have been analyzed through Anatomage Table 10 and environmental scanning electron microscope equipped with X-ray spectrometer; Results: Anatomage Table 10 through various volumetric renderings allows us to describe spine alteration due to osteoarthritis, dental state, and other clinical-pathological characteristics of different mummies. Environmental scanning electron microscope, with the advantage of observing mummified samples without prior specimen preparation, details on the state of tissue fragments. Skin, tendon and muscle show a preserved morphology and keratinocytes, collagen fibers and tendon structures are easily recognizable. Furthermore, X-ray spectrometer reveals in our tissue remains, the presence of compounds related to soil contamination. This investigation identifies a plethora of organic and inorganic substances where the mummies were found, providing crucial information about the mummification environment.
These morphological and analytical techniques make it possible to study mummified bodies and describe their anatomical details in real size, in a non-invasive and innovative way, demonstrating that these interdisciplinary approaches could have great potential for improving knowledge in the study of ancient corpses.
背景/目的：木乃伊研究有助于在特定时空背景下，从生活条件、病理状况和死亡情况等方面重建某一人群的特征。放射学是一种有效的诊断技术，能够确定木乃伊化器官的保存状态，并估计患者的病理状况。然而，放射学方法存在一些局限性。虽然骨骼结构易于区分，但软组织成分更具挑战性，尤其是当它们相互重叠时。因此，计算机断层扫描这种已成熟的方法被引入，它能实现最佳的图像对比度和三维重建。本文重点关注虚拟解剖作为探索人类木乃伊解剖结构的一项有前景的技术的作用，并认为环境扫描电子显微镜和X射线光谱学作为补充方法，在理解木乃伊遗体的保存状态方面具有潜在价值。
通过Anatomage Table 10和配备X射线光谱仪的环境扫描电子显微镜对古代木乃伊尸体进行分析；结果：Anatomage Table 10通过各种容积渲染，使我们能够描述不同木乃伊因骨关节炎导致的脊柱改变、牙齿状况及其他临床病理特征。环境扫描电子显微镜具有无需事先制备标本就能观察木乃伊化样本的优势，能详细呈现组织碎片的状态。皮肤、肌腱和肌肉呈现出保存完好的形态，角质形成细胞、胶原纤维和肌腱结构易于辨认。此外，X射线光谱仪在我们的组织残骸中发现了与土壤污染相关的化合物。这项研究确定了发现木乃伊的地方存在大量有机和无机物质，为木乃伊化环境提供了关键信息。
这些形态学和分析技术使以非侵入性和创新性方式对木乃伊尸体进行研究并按实际大小描述其解剖细节成为可能，表明这些跨学科方法在增进对古代尸体研究的认识方面可能具有巨大潜力。
