| 15 Dec 2025
Brief Communication: Limitations of Medical X-ray Computed Tomography for Estimating Ice Content in Permafrost Samples
Abstract. X-ray Computed tomography (CT) is increasingly used to estimate ice contents in permafrost samples. In this study, CT-derived estimates of volumetric ice content obtained from medical CT scans were compared with laboratory measurements for 261 samples from northern Canada (Nunavut and Yukon). The results showed that medical CT systematically underestimated ice in sediment-rich and organic-poor samples, and overestimated it in ice-rich, organic-rich samples. Agreement improved only when ice contents exceeded ~75 % and organic matter was low. Errors arose from unresolved pore ice, organic matter misclassified as ice, and threshold sensitivity. Given these limitations, along with the associated cost and processing effort, we conclude that medical CT is better suited for visualizing cryostructures and than for routine quantification of ice content. By contrast, higher-resolution industrial CT can provide more accurate quantification of ice contents in suitable samples.
Competing interests: The corresponding author is a member of editorial board of the journal
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