Characterization of mouse spinal cord vascular network by means of synchrotron radiation X-ray phase contrast tomography

Fractal analysis is a powerful method for the morphological study of complex systems that is increasingly applied to biomedical images. Spatial resolution and image segmentation are crucial for the discrimination of tissue structures at the multiscale level. In this work, we have applied fractal analysis to high-resolution X-ray phase contrast micro-tomography (XrPCμT) images in both uninjured and injured tissue of a mouse spinal cord. We estimated the fractal dimension (FD) using the box-counting method on tomographic slices segmented at different threshold levels. We observed an increased FD in the ipsilateral injured hemicord compared with the contralateral uninjured tissue, which was almost independent of the chosen threshold. Moreover, we found that images exhibited the highest fractality close to the global histogram threshold level. Finally, we showed that the FD estimate largely depends on the image histogram regardless of tissue appearance. Our results demonstrate that the pre-processing of XrPCμT images is critical to fractal analysis and the estimation of FD.

Download Full-text

Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray Phase-Contrast Tomography Visualizes Microvasculature Changes in Mice Brains after Ischemic Injury

Neural Plasticity ◽

10.1155/2016/3258494 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Peng Miao ◽

Zhixia Wu ◽

Miao Li ◽

Yuanyuan Ji ◽

Bohua Xie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Synchrotron Radiation ◽

Contrast Agent ◽

Phase Contrast ◽

Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽

Intact Mouse ◽

X Ray ◽

Brain Vasculature ◽

Phase Contrast Tomography ◽

Brain Microvasculature

Imaging brain microvasculature is important in plasticity studies of cerebrovascular diseases. Applying contrast agents, traditionalμCT andμMRI methods gain imaging contrast for vasculature. The aim of this study is to develop a synchrotron radiation X-ray inline phase-contrast tomography (SRXPCT) method for imaging the intact mouse brain (micro)vasculature in high resolution (~3.7 μm) without contrast agent. A specific preparation protocol was proposed to enhance the phase contrast of brain vasculature by using density difference over gas-tissue interface. The CT imaging system was developed and optimized to obtain 3D brain vasculature of adult male C57BL/6 mice. The SRXPCT method was further applied to investigate the microvasculature changes in mouse brains (n=14) after 14-day reperfusion from transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). 3D reconstructions of brain microvasculature demonstrated that the branching radius ratio (post- to preinjury) of small vessels (radius < 7.4 μm) in the injury group was significantly smaller than that in the sham group (p<0.05). This result revealed the active angiogenesis in the recovery brain after stroke. As a high-resolution and contrast-agent-free method, the SRXPCT method demonstrates higher potential in investigations of functional plasticity in cerebrovascular diseases.

Download Full-text

3D angioarchitecture changes after spinal cord injury in rats using synchrotron radiation phase-contrast tomography

Spinal Cord ◽

10.1038/sc.2015.49 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 53 (8) ◽

pp. 585-590 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

J Hu ◽

Y Cao ◽

T Wu ◽

D Li ◽

H Lu

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Synchrotron Radiation ◽

Phase Contrast ◽

Cord Injury ◽

Phase Contrast Tomography ◽

Radiation Phase

Download Full-text

Impact of synchrotron radiation-based X-ray phase-contrast tomography on understanding various cardiovascular surgical pathologies

General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery ◽

10.1007/s11748-015-0565-4 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 63 (10) ◽

pp. 590-592 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Takuro Tsukube ◽

Naoto Yagi ◽

Masato Hoshino ◽

Yutaka Nakashima ◽

Kazunori Nakagawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Synchrotron Radiation ◽

Phase Contrast ◽

X Ray ◽

Phase Contrast Tomography

Download Full-text

Quantitative characterization of ex vivo breast tissue via x-ray phase-contrast tomography

Journal of X-Ray Science and Technology ◽

10.3233/xst-180453 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 503-516

Author(s):

Xinbin Li ◽

Zhiqiang Chen ◽

Li Zhang ◽

Xiaohua Zhu ◽

Shengping Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Phase Contrast ◽

Breast Tissue ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Quantitative Characterization ◽

X Ray ◽

Phase Contrast Tomography

Download Full-text

Propagation‐based x‐ray phase‐contrast tomography of mastectomy samples using synchrotron radiation

Medical Physics ◽

10.1002/mp.13842 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 46 (12) ◽

pp. 5478-5487 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

T. E. Gureyev ◽

Ya. I. Nesterets ◽

P. M. Baran ◽

S. T. Taba ◽

S. C. Mayo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Synchrotron Radiation ◽

Phase Contrast ◽

X Ray ◽

Phase Contrast Tomography

Download Full-text

Experience with Imaging by Using of Microfocus X-Ray Source

Journal of Electrical Engineering ◽

10.2478/v10187-010-0042-3 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 61 (5) ◽

pp. 287-290 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zdenko Zápražný ◽

Dušan Korytár ◽

František Dubecký ◽

Vladimír Áč ◽

Zbigniew Stachura ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Synchrotron Radiation ◽

Phase Contrast ◽

Ccd Camera ◽

X Ray ◽

X Ray Imaging ◽

Radiation Sources ◽

Set Up ◽

High Level ◽

Very High

Experience with Imaging by Using of Microfocus X-Ray SourceIn this paper we present the current work and experience with using microfocus x-ray generator and commercial CCD camera for x-ray imaging purpose. There is a need in laboratories for the development of imaging methods approaching synchrotron radiation sources, where the brilliance of radiation is on very high-level. Generally, there is no continuous access to synchrotron facilities. Several synchrotron radiation laboratories allocate the access via a proposal system. Thus the time for synchrotron radiation experiments seldom exceeds more than 1-2 weeks per year, which restricts its application to a few selected experiments. Even in future, the routine characterization of samples will be performed mainly at the experimenters home laboratories [10]. In this contribution we show that with the present set-up it is possible to achieve the spatial resolution down to μm and with the appropriate geometry a phase contrast images are observable.

Download Full-text

Three-dimensional characterization of electrodeposited lithium microstructures using synchrotron X-ray phase contrast imaging

Chemical Communications ◽

10.1039/c4cc03187c ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 51 (2) ◽

pp. 266-268 ◽

Cited By ~ 80

Author(s):

David S. Eastwood ◽

Paul M. Bayley ◽

Hee Jung Chang ◽

Oluwadamilola O. Taiwo ◽

Joan Vila-Comamala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Surface Area ◽

Phase Contrast ◽

High Surface ◽

High Surface Area ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Phase Contrast Imaging ◽

Contrast Imaging ◽

X Ray ◽

Phase Contrast Tomography

The morphology of electrodeposited high surface area lithium microstructures was imaged in 3D using synchrotron X-ray phase contrast tomography.

Download Full-text

X-ray phase contrast tomography for the investigation of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Journal of Synchrotron Radiation ◽

10.1107/s1600577520006785 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 1042-1048 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ginevra Begani Provinciali ◽

Nicola Pieroni ◽

Inna Bukreeva ◽

Michela Fratini ◽

Lorenzo Massimi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽

Phase Contrast ◽

Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Limiting Current ◽

Early Assessment ◽

X Ray ◽

Phase Contrast Tomography ◽

Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor neurons. Pre-clinical studies drive the development of animal models that well mimic ALS disorder and enable both the dissection of disease processes and an early assessment of therapy efficacy. A comprehensive knowledge of neuronal and vascular lesions in the brain and spinal cord is an essential factor to understand the development of the disease. Spatial resolution and bidimensional imaging are important drawbacks limiting current neuroimaging tools, while neuropathology relies on protocols that may alter tissue chemistry and structure. In contrast, recent ex vivo studies in mice demonstrated that X-ray phase-contrast tomography enables study of the 3D distribution of both vasculature and neuronal networks, without sample sectioning or use of staining. Here we present our findings on ex vivo SOD1G93A ALS mice spinal cord at a micrometric scale. An unprecedented direct quantification of neuro-vascular alterations at different stages of the disease is shown.

Download Full-text