The invention is directed to a biological scanner for scanning biological growth plates. A biological growth plate can be loaded into the biological scanner. Upon loading of a biological growth plate, the biological scanner generates an image of the plate and may perform an analysis of the image. Various embodiments are directed to loading features that facilitate automated loading and proper positioning of a plate within the biological scanner, and ejection features that facilitate the automated ejection of the plate from the scanner. Additional embodiments are directed to features that allow a scanner unit of the biological scanner to be attached to a mounting platform of the scanner in different possible configurations.