A high resolution laser radar has been developed for laboratory applications aimed at an accurate 3D reconstruction of real objects. The laser scanner can be used to produce a single cylindrical range image when the object is placed on a controlled rotating platform or, alternatively, 3 or more linear range images, in order to fully characterize the surface of the object as seen from different points of view. From the sample points, characterized by an uncertainty as small as 100 μm, the complete object surface can be reconstructed by using specifically developed software tools. The system has been successfully applied to scan different types of real surfaces (stone, wood, bones), with relevant applications in industrial machining, artwork classification an medical diagnostics. Significant examples of 3D reconstructions are shown and discussed in view of a specific utilization for reverse engineering applied to artwork restoration and medical prosthesis.