Nondestructive imaging of the internal microstructure of vessels and nerve fibers in rat spinal cord using phase-contrast synchrotron radiation microtomography

Abstract

The spinal cord is the primary neurological link between the brain and other parts of the body, but unlike those of the brain, advances in spinal cord imaging have been challenged by the more complicated and inhomogeneous anatomy of the spine. Fortunately with the advancement of high technology, phase-contrast synchrotron radiation microtomography has become widespread in scientific research because of its ability to generate high-quality and high-resolution images. In this study, this method has been employed for nondestructive imaging of the internal microstructure of rat spinal cord. Furthermore, digital virtual slices based on phase-contrast synchrotron radiation were compared with conventional histological sections. The three-dimensional internal microstructure of the intramedullary arteries and nerve fibers was vividly detected within the same spinal cord specimen without the application of a stain or contrast agent or sectioning. With the aid of image post-processing, an optimization of vessel and nerve fiber images was obtained. The findings indicated that phase-contrast synchrotron radiation microtomography is unique in the field of three-dimensional imaging and sets novel standards for pathophysiological investigations in various neurovascular diseases.

Characterization of metal element distributions in the rat brain following ischemic stroke by synchrotron radiation micro-fluorescence analysis

“…4.6 Future perspective of SR-lXRF SR produces rather strong X-rays, which are several orders of magnitude higher in intensity than laboratory X-ray sources. It can focus on the micron or even nanometer scales and can be used to observe cellular or intracellular micro-element distribution [53,54]. Considering its nondestructive feature to the biological tissue, the SR-lXRF method used in the analysis of metal elements in biological tissues is considered as one of the most reliable methods for quantitative and in situ analysis of trace elements in biological systems, providing strong technical support for some diseases, specifically of the nervous system [55].…”

Simultaneous 3D Visualization of the Microvascular and Neural Network in Mouse Spinal Cord Using Synchrotron Radiation Micro-Computed Tomography

“…It is also difficult to obtain 3D images of nerve fiber tracts in white matter using SRXPCT, and there are still few 3D morphological depictions of nerve fibers in previous studies. In addition, tissue shrinkage, vascular deformation, and vascular collapse during the process of sample preparation are also unsolved problems, which may lead to low-quality images and inaccurate interpretations [17,18]. Overall, low-quality images largely restrict the quantitative analysis of 3D neuronal and vascular morphology.…”

Analysis of type I osteoporosis animal models using synchrotron radiation

“…Unlike histological methods, micro-CT is widely used as a noninvasive method (Yingjie et al, 2007). However, the above method has challenges in quantitatively analyzing bone microstructures because it has weak attenuation control problems (Hu et al, 2017). In particular, osteoporosis (OP) diagnosis and evaluation are performed using spongy bones in bone microstructures.…”