The first X-ray microtomography system was conceived and built by Jim Elliott in the early 1980s.

Hünicken's identification relied heavily on X-ray microtomography of the holotype, and additional hidden structures were also extrapolated from the X-radiographs.

Using the GeoSoilEnviroCARS Collaborative Access Team computed microtomography (CMT) instrument at Advanced Photon Source sector 13, researchers have applied CMT to gain a fundamental understanding of flow and transport mechanisms function in porous media.