The images are computer tomography scans of a major Tyrannosaurus rex skull taken at the Fraunhofer Development Center for X-Ray Technology EZRT utilizing the biggest CT scanner worldwide. The images show different color filters and perspectives. Copyright Naturalis Biodiversity Center/Fraunhofer IIS
On June 19 the Development Center for X-Ray Technology, part of the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS, presented exclusive computer tomography images of a Tyrannosaurus rex, which the Naturalis Bio-diversity Center in the Netherlands describes as one of the best preserved T. rex finds of all time.
In 2013, researchers from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, Netherlands made a remarkable discovery in Montana in the United States: one of the best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons ever found. Experts date the remains of the female dinosaur to 66.4 million years. Alone the skull of the magnificent specimen weighs an incredible 500 kilograms.
Every single bone of this find offers new knowledge about the world's most famous dinosaur and its habitat. "This discovery will have an enormous impact on dinosaur research for decades to come," said Edwin van Huis, head of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center.
To get a glimpse of the internal structures of the remains without damaging the fragile skeleton, researchers are relying on Fraunhofer know-how. Utilizing one-of-a-kind XXL computed tomography technology, the Fraunhofer Development Center for X-Ray Technology in Fí¼rth, Germany is capable of generating high-resolution CD data, in this case from images of the T.rex. "We're extremely pleased that the Naturalis Biodiversity Center has placed their trust in us. With its unique CT technology, Fraunhofer's Development Center for X-Ray Technology can make a significant contribution to help shape dinosaur research," said Prof. Randolf Hanke, head of the center.
For more information: www.iis.fraunhofer.de/en/profil/abteilungen/ezrt.html
March 30, 2026 
