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There has been a long history of using X-rays to visualize coal and its transitions during various treatments. Advances and improved availability has allowed the application of X-ray computed tomography (CT) to create 3D images to aid rationalizing coal behavior. This non-destructive technique has been used in the determination of mineral dispersion for coal cleaning potential; swelling/shrinking and fracturing accompanying drying; transitions with devolatilization, combustion, and gasification; fracturing during handling; cleat system characterization; and cleat transitions during fluid-flow, gas uptake and degassing; fractures induced with microwave bursts; coal compression; particle classifying systems, coking; and solvent swelling among others. Here the application of X-ray computed tomography to rationalizing coal behavior is reviewed. Much of the initial work was informative simply by providing visualization of …