Canon Digital X-ray helps to recreate the legendary beauty of Queen Nefertiti

The Canon CXDI-31 - the world's first portable digital radiography system - was used in situ in Egyptian tomb KV35 in Luxor's Valley of the Kings to provide instant digital images of the mummified body. Just three seconds after scanning the mummy, high-quality digital images were available on the Canon Control PC.

In the past, mummies usually had to be removed from tombs and sent to hospitals for X-rays, where conventional X-ray film was first developed and then examined. Canon's new flat-screen X-ray technology permitted the project's radiographers and scientists to construct an instant three-dimensional skeleton of the mummified body, along with an animated 'fly-through' to actually see inside the mummy, allowing the Egyptologists and human remains specialists a powerful new insight into their mysterious subjects.

As part of the Discovery Channel expedition, led by Egyptologist Dr. Joann Fletcher and a multidisciplinary team of radiologists, ancient human remains experts, archaeological chemists and conservation experts, the team were able to zoom in on areas of special interest, such as jewellery and hairline fractures, then enlarge and enhance the image without any visible loss of detail.

A forensic team made up of experts from Sheffield and Nottingham Universities was also able to use Canon's digital X-ray images to build a three-dimensional computer model of the mummy's skull. Using techniques developed for the facial reconstruction of murder victims, the team was then able to reconstruct Queen Nefertiti's face around the virtual skull.

By building up muscle around tissue depth markers placed at landmark sites on the digital model, the Sheffield-Nottingham team created a lifelike representation of the face that was said to be the most beautiful in Ancient Egypt. The computer model was then passed to Atlantic Productions where graphic artists added the final touches.

James Leipnik, Canon Europe's Chief of Communication and Corporate Relations said: "It is fantastic to see Canon technology being used in such creative and historically significant ways. To play a role in the reconstruction of one of history's most famous faces is a great achievement for us and further proof of the highly innovative and widely accessible nature of Canon technology."

The Canon CXDI-31's combination of superior quality diagnostic images, portability, durability and ability to instantly capture and display images were the key reasons Canon was approached for the expedition to Egypt.