Radiologists at Keck Medicine of USC are accustomed to using CT scans to diagnose back pain, joint damage, and dental disease in living patients. This time, the same technology revealed health secrets of two Egyptian priests who lived more than 2,000 years ago.
Using advanced computed tomography, researchers examined the preserved bodies of two ancient Egyptian priests, uncovering signs of aging, chronic pain, and disease without disturbing a single layer of linen. The scans provided an unusually intimate look at how the men lived, aged, and died in antiquity.
Modern tools meet ancient lives
The mummies belonged to Nes-Min, who lived around 330 BCE, and Nes-Hor, who lived about 140 years later, around 190 BCE. Both men served as priests in ancient Egypt, a role often associated with social status and close ties to temple life.
Radiologists performed full-body CT scans similar to those used daily in hospitals. The scans produced hundreds of thin, cross-sectional images that were combined to form detailed three-dimensional views of bones, preserved tissue, and burial objects concealed beneath the wrappings.
For the researchers, the purpose was not treatment. It was to understand lives long past.
Looking inside without unwrapping
In earlier decades, studying mummies often required unwrapping them, a process that could permanently damage fragile remains. CT scanning eliminates that risk.
The images allowed researchers to examine skeletal structure, embalming materials, and internal positioning without physical contact. The scans revealed carefully executed mummification techniques, suggesting skilled embalmers and deliberate preparation for the afterlife. These findings help historians gain a better understanding of funerary practices during various periods of ancient Egyptian history.
Signs of pain, aging, and disease
The scans revealed clear health problems that feel familiar even today. Nes-Min, the elder of the two, showed signs of chronic lower back pain. His spine contained a collapsed vertebra in the lumbar region, a condition commonly linked to aging and long-term wear. Researchers say it likely caused ongoing discomfort during his life.
He was also buried with symbolic objects, including scarab-shaped artifacts associated with rebirth and protection, as well as a fish-shaped item often linked to fertility and renewal.
Nes-Hor’s scans told a different story. Researchers identified dental disease and a severely deteriorated hip joint. The condition of his bones suggests he was older at the time of death than Nes-Min, despite living more than a century later.
Together, the findings show that back pain, joint damage, and dental problems are not modern conditions. They are part of a shared human experience stretching across millennia.
Clearer scans, deeper insight
These mummies were scanned previously, but advancements in scanning technology have made the results far more detailed and extensive than ever before, Summer Decker, who led the imaging and visualization work, explained.
CT scans usually diagnose modern patients. This time, they revealed back pain, dental disease, and joint damage in two ancient Egyptian priests who lived more than 2,000 years ago. pic.twitter.com/d8fR1lHYGa
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) February 3, 2026
Decker directs the USC Center for Innovation in Medical Visualization and oversees 3D imaging efforts at Keck Medicine. She said high-resolution images revealed features that had not been visible before, allowing researchers to build a clearer picture of how the men lived and aged.
Using the scan data, Decker and her colleague Jonathan Ford, Ph.D., created precise 3D digital models of both priests. The team also produced life-size 3D-printed replicas of key anatomical structures, including spines, skulls, and hips, as well as artifacts buried with Nes-Min.
The replicas were printed using medical-grade materials, allowing close study without risking damage to the original remains.
From hospital imaging to public display
The mummies, along with the digital models and 3D-printed reproductions, will be displayed in Mummies of the World: The Exhibition, opening Feb. 7 at the California Science Center.
Radiologists scanned each mummy while it rested inside the lower half of its sarcophagus, each weighing about 200 pounds. The bodies remained wrapped in linen shrouds darkened by centuries of age. Nes-Min wore an ornate beaded net garment across his torso, reflecting his social standing.
A state-of-the-art 320-slice CT scanner captured facial details rarely seen in mummies, including the eyelids and contours of the lower lip. The features give the men a striking human presence, narrowing the distance between ancient history and modern viewers.
“Mummies have long been a mystery,” said Diane Perlov, senior vice president for special projects at the California Science Center. Seeing beneath the surface to reveal the lived experience of individuals is incredibly exciting.
A shared human story
For researchers, the scans do more than document ancient remains. They reveal individuals with recognizable bodies, injuries, and signs of aging. Using tools designed for modern medicine, scientists are uncovering deeply human stories from the distant past—without disturbing a single layer of linen.