World’s largest imaging project collects 100,000 full-body scans to reveal secrets of human body

World’s largest imaging project collects 100,000 full-body scans to reveal secrets of human body
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Scientists have completed the world’s largest whole-body imaging project, scanning 100,000 volunteers from head to toe over a decade, The Guardian reported. The UK Biobank project has generated 1 billion de-identified images of hearts, brains, abdomens, blood vessels, bones, and joints, paired with extensive medical histories and genetic data. This unprecedented resource is now available to researchers worldwide.

The scans reveal detailed insights into human aging and disease development. For example, subtle brain changes linked to dementia risk can now be detected, with differences as small as a teaspoon of water in brain volume visible. Research has also shown that even low alcohol consumption can negatively affect brain structure, with no safe level identified.

The imaging includes 12,000 images per volunteer, capturing organ size, shape, bone density, body fat, and arterial health. Notably, fat distribution varies significantly among individuals with similar BMI, influencing heart disease risk. UK Biobank is re-scanning 60,000 volunteers to track changes over time, revealing increases in harmful visceral fat and fatty muscle tissue with age. Experts hope these findings will improve early disease detection and prevention strategies globally.