What is the CT file format?
.ct is a graphics file format developed by Scitex Corporation, also known as the Scitex Continuous Tone or IRIS CT image.
.ct files store uncompressed bitmap images produced on Scitex prepress workstations running IRIS software. The format offers high-fidelity image quality and nearly perfect color reproduction through 32-bit CMYK encoding - eight bits each for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. .ct was commonly used for storing art reproduction images during the 1980s and 1990s, particularly for magazine and large-format print work. .ct images can be converted to more modern, high-quality image formats - such as TIFF or PSD - using tools like XnView MP or ImageMagick.
Note that the .ct extension is also used by Cheat Engine table files and by informal medical CT-scan exports, so confirm which type you have before processing.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA Scitex CT image is passive raster data and carries no executable content, so it's low risk. The main caution is identity, not malware: if your .ct is actually a Cheat Engine Table, opening it loads memory-editing scripts into Cheat Engine - only run tables from sources you trust, since malicious tables can execute Lua. Get XnView and Cheat Engine from their official sites; avoid generic "CT viewer/opener" download portals.
Format details
in a nutshell- Cheat Engine Table - By far the most common modern .ct hit: an XML script of saved addresses/scripts for the Cheat Engine game-memory editor; opens only in Cheat Engine.
- Medical CT scan image - Some CT (computed tomography) scanners/software export slices with a .ct name; clinical imaging normally uses DICOM (.dcm) instead.
Programs that open CT files
Windows3 apps
Adobe Photoshop
Paid Photoshop's Scitex CT support is legacy/limited; try File > Open, or convert via XnView/ImageMagick first. 
ImageMagick
Open-source magick file.ct out.tif - reads Scitex CT and converts to a modern format from the command line. 
XnView / XnView MP
Free Open the .ct to view it, then File > Export to save as TIFF/PNG/JPEG. Free for personal use. 
macOS2 apps
Linux2 apps
ImageMagick / GraphicsMagick
Open-source magick file.ct out.tif - convert Scitex CT to a usable format. Technical details
deep spec| Color model | 32-bit CMYK - four channels (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black), 8 bits per channel |
| Data encoding | Binary, uncompressed continuous-tone raster data |
| Byte order | Big-endian |
| Container structure | Record-based: control block + parameter block (image dimensions and color metadata) + raw image data |
| Compression | None - all image data stored uncompressed |
| Typical file size | Tens of MB to over 1 GB for full-resolution prepress scans |
| Resolution target | Very high - designed for large-format print output: magazines, banners, and signage |
| MIME type | image/x-scitex-ct |
| Originating platform | Scitex Corporation proprietary prepress workstations, introduced in the 1980s |
| Primary use case | High-end prepress color separation and art reproduction for professional printing |
| File header marker | "CT" ASCII identifier in the record header; no single fixed-offset magic byte sequence |
| Color channel layout | Four 8-bit planes (C, M, Y, K) stored as sequential raster data |
| Superseded by | TIFF and native Photoshop / PDF-based prepress workflows |
| Extension conflict | The .ct extension is also used by Cheat Engine table files - confirm the file type before processing |
| Current compatibility | Readable via XnView MP and ImageMagick on Windows, macOS, and Linux; legacy format with no active development |
| Released | 1980s (Scitex prepress workstations) |
| Latest version | Scitex CT (legacy; no active versioning) |
| Specification | www.fileformat.info |
CT conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about CT files.
Frequently asked questions
What is a CT file?
How do I open a Scitex CT image?
How do I convert a CT image to JPG or TIFF?
magick file.ct out.tif. For print, TIFF (CMYK) is the best target; for screen, PNG/JPEG.
