works

Galleries and Reading Room

Wellcome Café

Library

Wellcome Kitchen

Wellcome Shop

To make your visit as safe and enjoyable as possible, you’ll need to follow our safety measures inside our venue, including wearing a face covering unless you’re exempt. Find out how we're keeping you safe. You no longer need to book a ticket to enter the museum or library.

We’re undertaking research with website visitors to find out some more about you and what you thought about your visit. This survey will take less than 10 minutes to complete. Thank you for your time!

What brought you to our website today?

3D rendering of the skull of an adult male receiving X-ray radiotherapy, viewed from the side. 



A clinical proton CT has not yet been produced to date. This is a simulation using X-ray data of a patient receiving radiotherapy where every X-ray event has been converted to its proton equivalent. 180 image projections were then processed using a new algorithm to create the image seen here. 



Proton beam radiotherapy is rapidly becoming a recognised treatment for certain cancers, especially in children and young people. To target the tumour site while minimising the exposure to healthy surrounding tissue it is necessary to image using the same particles (protons) that are used for therapy. The advantage of using high-energy treatment protons to construct the CT scan instead of much lower energy X-ray photons is that registration errors are reduced from ±4% to less than ±1%. Proton therapy could be used in many more cases and with better outcomes.

Proton CT of a human skull

9 artworks of the brain depicting personality and character traits. Images resemble a black and white negative or scan.
Top row: Woolly thinking, Airhead, Clouded Thoughts
Middle row: Pea Brain, Bright Idea, Feather Brain
Bottom row: Open-minded, Deflated, Wired

Artworks of the Brain as b/w negative images

3D rendering of the head of an adult male receiving X-ray radiotherapy, viewed from the side. The patient is wearing a conventional restrictive mesh mask to prevent any movement during treatment. No data is available for the tip of the nose. 



A clinical proton CT has not yet been produced to date. This is a simulation using X-ray data of a patient receiving radiotherapy where every X-ray event has been converted to its proton equivalent. 180 image projections were then processed using a new algorithm to create the image seen here. Using a digital model created in this way, external tissue can also be digitally stripped away to reveal the bare skull inside.



Proton beam radiotherapy is rapidly becoming a recognised treatment for certain cancers, especially in children and young people. To target the tumour site while minimising the exposure to healthy surrounding tissue it is necessary to image using the same particles (protons) that are used for therapy. The advantage of using high-energy treatment protons to construct the CT scan instead of much lower energy X-ray photons is that registration errors are reduced from ±4% to less than ±1%. Proton therapy could be used in many more cases and with better outcomes.

Proton CT of a human head

3-dimensional handmade model of a papier-mache brain unzipped to reveal inner contents spilling out. Inner contents are knitted and the outer shell is made from paper-mache and collaged materials.

Open Minded, artwork of the brain

3-dimensional model of a brain made from wool knitted and stitched together. Two knitting needles are attached.

Woolly Thinking, artwork of the brain

This image set is a study of a 3D-reconstructed 4 year-old female chinchilla presented to the Texas A+M Small Animal Hospital for CT (Computed tomography) imaging. 

Over 400 CT (computed tomography) images at 600 micrometer slice thickness were utilised for this series. These 2D images were converted into 3D representations using tissue segmentation based on tissue density, resulting in Stereolithography (.STL) 3D models of the skeletal system and internal organs. The models were then textured and rendered to produce these images.

3D reconstruction of chinchilla, composite

3-dimensional handmade model to represent featherbrain, scatterbrain or forgetfulness. Foam core embedded with two varieties and colours of feathers and down.

Feather Brain, artwork of the brain

3D reconstruction of chinchilla

3-dimensional handmade model using a light bulb and the inner wires to make the 'brain' at the centre of the bulb.

Bright Idea, artwork of the brain

3-dimensional model of a balloon handpainted to represent a brain.

Air Head, artwork of the brain

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are the enlargement of main arteries within the abdominal region, and are predominantly found in males aged over 65. Recognised causes of this condition include high blood pressure and smoking. Traditionally, AAAs have been repaired using the Open Surgical Repair (OSR) technique which requires opening the patient's abdomen (a laparotomy) and hand-sewing a synthetic graft to replace the abnormal dilated blood vessel. This is typically undertaken as a preventative measure to prevent the risk of rupture which is fatal in 80% of cases. It is a robust but highly invasive technique.



Recent advances in vascular surgery have resulted in the development of less invasive techniques, such as Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR). This involves the delivery of stent-grafts (crimped synthetic grafts, known as endoprostheses, attached to a metal scaffold, as visible on the x-ray) to the site of the aneurysm to reline the artery and protect the weakened blood vessel from the buffeting effects of the pulse. EndoAnchors are used to effectively stitch the endoprosthesis to the aorta from within the blood vessels itself. This can be done as a 'pinhole' procedure via the groin arteries without necessitating a laparotomy. This procedure has high success rates, less physical stress, early discharge and low mortality (less than 2%), with the advantage that surgery can be conducted whilst the patient is awake. Patients can be conveniently followed up with x-rays and scans which provide interesting images such as the one represented here.

Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR), x-ray analysis

This 3D reconstructed CT image shows the posterior view of a popliteal aneurysm in the leg of an 84-year-old male patient. The femur, or thigh bone, is shown on the left of the image, with the popliteal artery running down the middle, which extends from the lower thigh to upper calf. The aneurysm is shown centre frame, with a reddish-blue appearance and eggshell-like boundary. 



An aneurysm is a localised swelling of an artery, presenting itself as a balloon-like bulge. Aneurysms are commonly found in the abdominal vessels (abdominal aortic aneurysms, AAAs) and leg vessels, as shown here. Unruptured aneurysms do not usually display symptoms, but if ruptured, 75 per cent of patients do not survive. This mortality rate drops to below 5 per cent when treated by vascular surgeons. An aneurysm at risk of rupture can be treated to divert its blood flow; the aneurysm in this image is just over 6 cm and has had a stent-graft fitted. Stents are small wire frames supporting both artery and graft, which divert the flow of blood. This procedure is known as popliteal endovascular aneurysm repair (PEVAR).

2011 Wellcome Image Award winner. Wellcome Image Awards 2011.

Popliteal aneurysm: reconstructed CT scan

3-dimensional handmade clay model of the brain painted blue and white to depict clouds in the sky.

Blue Sky Thinking, artwork of the brain

3-dimensional handmade model of a pod split open to reveal the seeds inside. Peas are replaced with brains made from modelling clay which has been painted and varnished. The pod is made from a variety of materials.

Pea Brain, artwork of the brain

Montage showing different stages (top left to bottom right) in the CT reconstruction of a single slice (bird's eye view; transverse section) through an adult phantom head. The phantom is a real human skull that has been filled with a material that simulates the average density of brain tissue. The first panel (top left) shows the projection of the broad proton beam through the skull at one angle. The false-coloured stripes are residual energies of the protons as they exit the side of the head. More projections are then obtained by changing projection angles. Here, the head is rotated but in practice the patient would be stationary and the beam rotated around the patient. The final panel (bottom right) shows the final CT reconstruction, with the bony skull and nasal voids clearly visible. 



A clinical proton CT has not yet been produced to date. This is a simulation using X-ray data of a patient receiving radiotherapy where every X-ray event has been converted to its proton equivalent. 180 image projections were then processed using a new algorithm to reconstruct one slice through the phantom head.



Proton beam radiotherapy is rapidly becoming a recognised treatment for certain cancers, especially in children and young people. To target the tumour site while minimising the exposure to healthy surrounding tissue it is necessary to image using the same particles (protons) that are used for therapy. The advantage of using high-energy treatment protons to construct the CT scan instead of much lower energy X-ray photons is that registration errors are reduced from ±4% to less than ±1%. Proton therapy could be used in many more cases and with better outcomes.

Steps in producing a proton CT of a human phantom head

3-dimensional handmade model of a brain made from electric wires and cables coiled together.

Wired, artwork of the brain

3-dimensional handmade model of a deflated balloon handpainted to represent a brain.

Wellcome uses cookies.

More filters

Active filters:

Proton CT of a human skull

Artworks of the Brain as b/w negative images

Proton CT of a human head

Open Minded, artwork of the brain

Woolly Thinking, artwork of the brain

3D reconstruction of chinchilla, composite

Feather Brain, artwork of the brain

3D reconstruction of chinchilla

Bright Idea, artwork of the brain

Air Head, artwork of the brain

3D reconstruction of chinchilla

Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR), x-ray analysis

Popliteal aneurysm: reconstructed CT scan

Blue Sky Thinking, artwork of the brain

Pea Brain, artwork of the brain

Steps in producing a proton CT of a human phantom head

Wired, artwork of the brain

Deflated, artwork of the brain

Stay in the know

Wellcome collection

Finding us:

Opening times:

Today's opening times

Wellcome uses cookies.

Search the collections

More filters

Active filters:

Proton CT of a human skull

Artworks of the Brain as b/w negative images

Proton CT of a human head

Open Minded, artwork of the brain

Woolly Thinking, artwork of the brain

3D reconstruction of chinchilla, composite

Feather Brain, artwork of the brain

3D reconstruction of chinchilla

Bright Idea, artwork of the brain

Air Head, artwork of the brain

3D reconstruction of chinchilla

Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR), x-ray analysis

Popliteal aneurysm: reconstructed CT scan

Blue Sky Thinking, artwork of the brain

Pea Brain, artwork of the brain

Steps in producing a proton CT of a human phantom head

Wired, artwork of the brain

Deflated, artwork of the brain

Stay in the know

Wellcome collectionWellcome Collection

Finding us:

Opening times:

Today's opening times

Wellcome collection