Final answer:
Multi-row detector scanners use third-generation CT scan technology, which allows for faster, more efficient, and higher resolution imaging compared to previous generations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Multi-row detector scanners, commonly used in medical imaging for computed tomography (CT scans), employ third-generation technology. In this technology, multiple rows of detector elements are used to capture data from different angles as the X-ray source rotates around the patient. This design allows for faster scans and better resolution compared to earlier technologies.
Unlike first or second-generation CT scanners that had a single row of detectors and required more time to cover the same scan area, third-generation scanners can acquire multiple slices of data simultaneously, allowing for quicker and more efficient imaging.
The fourth generation involves a large, stationary ring of detectors with a rotating X-ray source, but this is distinct from the multi-row (also known as multi-slice or multi-detector) technology.