Physical methods of diagnosis are more and more frequently applied in the field of Cultural Heritage either for scientific investigations or for restoration and conservation purposes. X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) is one of the most powerful non-destructive testing techniques for the full-volume inspection of an object, as it is able to give morphological and physical information on the inner structure of the investigated sample. The great variety of size and composition that characterizes archaeological findings and art objects requires the development of tomographic systems specifically designed for Cultural Heritage analysis. In the last few years our research group has developed several acquisition systems for Digital Radiography and X-ray CT. We are able to perform high resolution micro-tomography of small objects (voxel size of few microns) as well as CT of large objects (up to 2 m of size). In this paper we will mainly focus the attention on the results of the investigation recently performed on two Japanese wooden statues with our CT system for large works of art. The CT analysis was carried out on site at the Conservation and Restoration Center “La Venaria Reale”, where the statues have been restored before their exposition at the Oriental Art Museum in Turin.

Application of X-ray Computed Tomography to Cultural Heritage diagnostics

X-ray cone-beam Computed Tomography is a powerful tool for the non-destructive investigation of the inner structure
of works of art. With regard to Cultural Heritage conservation, different kinds of objects have to be inspected in order to
acquire significant information such as the manufacturing technique or the presence of defects and damages. The
knowledge of these features is very useful for determining adequate maintenance and restoration procedures. The use of
medical CT scanners gives good results only when the investigated objects have size and density similar to those of the
human body, however this requirement is not always fulfilled in Cultural Heritage diagnostics. For this reason a system
for Digital Radiography and Computed Tomography of large objects, especially works of art, has been recently
developed by researchers of the Physics Department of the University of Bologna. The design of the system is very
different from any commercial available CT machine. The system consists of a 200 kVp X-ray source, a detector and a
motorized mechanical structure for moving the detector and the object in order to collect the required number of
radiographic projections. The detector is made up of a 450x450 mm 2 structured CsI(Tl) scintillating screen, optically
coupled to a CCD camera. In this paper we will present the results of the tomographic investigation recently performed
on an ancient globe, created by the famous cosmographer, cartographer and encyclopedist Vincenzo Coronelli.

X-ray 3D computed tomography of large objects: investigation of an ancient globe created by Vincenzo Coronelli

Computed tomography (CT) is a very useful non-destructive testing technique in the industrial field, since it permits the detection of small inner defects in a reliable and accurate way. In order to get very good performance, in terms of image contrast and spatial resolution, the configuration of the tomography system has to be optimized carefully. Monte Carlo simulations can be very helpful for choosing different conditions and selecting the best configurations of a CT system. In this paper, we present a preliminary optimization of an industrial CT apparatus, obtained by means of Monte Carlo simulations. The system is composed of an X-ray tube, filtering and collimation devices, and a detector made of a scintillator coupled to a CCD camera. We focus our attention on large aluminum objects, such as motor heads, and investigate the contribution of the scattered radiation. Some options have been simulated, for reducing the scattering photons, thus improving the overall image quality.

Monte Carlo optimization of an industrial tomography system

In consequence of the increasing request of on-site analysis the availability of portable systems for imaging paintings and other works of art has become really an issue for cultural heritage investigation. In many cases, authorities do not allow to transport paintings and works of art outside museums because of their value. We thus developed and used successfully a transportable X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) system that the operators can transport in a regular van and then mount inside museums or conservation centers. The system is composed of spare components that have to be properly mounted and carefully aligned in order to perform the radiographic or tomographic analysis. The basic elements are a 200 kV X-ray tube and a 12×12 cm2 flat-panel detector. With this system, it is possible to scan painting and works of art up to 1.5 × 1.5 m2 of size thanks to three mechanical translation axes. In the tomographic mode, a rotating platform provides high-resolution rotation of the object carrying up to 50 kg in weight. The operators control all the components of the system with a remote connection computer at a safe distance. In the present work, we report details about the development of this transportable X-ray CT system, we describe how it operates and the technical solutions we used and we show examples of application to real case studies with their specificity.

A mobile computed tomography system for on-site cultural heritage analysis

A multidisciplinary investigation on a pair of Leonardesque canal lock gates

Computed Tomography (CT) is one of the principal non-invasive techniques for the investigation of the inner structure of works of art. The main advantage of using CT is that it provides high resolution 3D information of the analyzed object. CT of large objects can be hampered by the long time needed and by the difficulties regarding the experimental arrangements required. In this paper we present a CT study of an ancient large globe (diameter of about 2.2 m). We set-up an ad hoc system for the analysis of the globe in situ. The system consists of an X-ray tube, a detector made of a GOS scintillator and an EBCCD camera, the movement axes, a vertical moving axis for the tube, a horizontal-vertical axis for the detector, and a rotating platform for the globe. The investigation of the entire globe has required the acquisition of about 32000 planar images, for providing the 3D tomographic reconstruction. The analysis of the reconstructed volume has allowed to estimate the composition of the inner structure of the globe.

X-ray computed tomography of an ancient large globe

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X-ray computed tomography of an ancient large globe