Evaluation of sample holders designed for long-lasting X-ray micro-tomographic scans of ex-vivo soft tissue samples

Synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography (SRµCT) based virtual histology, in combination with dedicated ex vivo staining protocols and/or phase contrast, is an emerging technology that makes use of three-dimensional images to provide novel insights into the structure of tissue samples at microscopic resolution with short acquisition times of the order of minutes or seconds. However, the high radiation dose creates special demands on sample preparation and staining. As a result of the lack of specific staining in virtual histology, it can supplement but not replace classical histology. Therefore, the aim of this study was to establish and compare optimized ex vivo staining and acquisition protocols for SRµCT-based virtual histology of soft-tissue samples, which could be integrated into the standard workflow of classical histology. The high grade of coherence of synchrotron radiation allows the application of propagation-based phase contrast imaging (PBI). In this study, PBI yielded a strong increase in image quality even at lower radiation doses and consequently prevented any damage to the tissue samples or the embedding material. This work has demonstrated that the improvement in contrast-to-noise ratio by PBI enabled label-free virtual histology of soft-tissue specimens embedded in paraffin to a level of detail that exceeds that achieved with staining protocols.

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Absorption Capability of a 645-nm Diode Laser on Swine Soft Tissue Samples: a Preliminary Study in an Ex-Vivo Model Tissue Samples: a Preliminary Study in an Ex-Vivo Mo

Journal of Dentistry Indonesia ◽

10.14693/jdi.v26i2.1321 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Giulia Ghidini ◽

◽

Paolo Vescovi ◽

Marco Meleti ◽

Setti Giacom ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soft Tissue ◽

Diode Laser ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Ex Vivo Model ◽

Tissue Samples ◽

Preliminary Study

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Synchrotron- and laboratory-based X-ray phase-contrast imaging for imaging mouse articular cartilage in the absence of radiopaque contrast agents

Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences ◽

10.1098/rsta.2013.0127 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 372 (2010) ◽

pp. 20130127 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Massimo Marenzana ◽

Charlotte K. Hagen ◽

Patricia Das Neves Borges ◽

Marco Endrizzi ◽

Magdalena B. Szafraniec ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Articular Cartilage ◽

Soft Tissue ◽

Phase Contrast ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Phase Changes ◽

Phase Contrast Imaging ◽

Laboratory System ◽

Micro Ct ◽

Contrast Imaging ◽

X Ray

The mouse model of osteoarthritis (OA) has been recognized as the most promising research tool for the identification of new OA therapeutic targets. However, this model is currently limited by poor throughput, dependent on the extremely time-consuming histopathology assessment of the articular cartilage (AC). We have recently shown that AC in the rat tibia can be imaged both in air and in saline solution using a laboratory system based on coded-aperture X-ray phase-contrast imaging (CAXPCi). Here, we explore ways to extend the methodology for imaging the much thinner AC of the mouse, by means of gold-standard synchrotron-based phase-contrast methods. Specifically, we have used analyser-based phase-contrast micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) for its high sensitivity to faint phase changes, coupled with a high-resolution (4.5 μm pixel) detector. Healthy, diseased (four weeks post induction of OA) and artificially damaged mouse AC was imaged at the Elettra synchrotron in Trieste, Italy, using the above method. For validation, we used conventional micro-CT combined with radiopaque soft-tissue staining and standard histomorphometry. We show that mouse cartilage can be visualized correctly by means of the synchrotron method. This suggests that: (i) further developments of the laboratory-based CAXPCi system, especially in terms of pushing the resolution limits, might have the potential to resolve mouse AC ex vivo and (ii) additional improvements may lead to a new generation of CAXPCi micro-CT scanners which could be used for in vivo longitudinal pre-clinical imaging of soft tissue at resolutions impossible to achieve by current MRI technology.

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Dynamics of laser induced thermoelastic expansion of native and coagulated ex-vivo soft tissue samples and their optical and thermo-mechanical properties

10.1117/12.876011 ◽

2011 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Behrouz Soroushian ◽

William M. Whelan ◽

Michael C. Kolios

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Soft Tissue ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Tissue Samples

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SOFT TISSUE CAM IMPINGEMENT IN ADOLESCENTS: MRI REVEALS IMPINGEMENT LESIONS UNDERAPPRECIATED ON X-RAY

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/2325967121s00063 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (7_suppl3) ◽

pp. 2325967121S0006

Author(s):

Benjamin L. Johnson ◽

Hamza Alizai ◽

Montanez Ben ◽

K. John Wagner ◽

Tyler Youngman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soft Tissue ◽

Femoral Head ◽

Plain Radiograph ◽

Alpha Angle ◽

Duration Of Symptoms ◽

X Ray ◽

Insidious Onset ◽

Adolescent Patients ◽

Cam Impingement ◽

Soft Impingement

Background: The presence of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) in adolescents has been established. However, the existence of a non-ossified CAM lesion in adolescent femoracetabular impingement (FAI) is not well described. Hypthesis/Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the presence of a non-ossified or soft CAM lesion in adolescent patients with FAI. Methods: A review of a prospective cohort of patients with symptomatic FAI in an institutional registry was performed. Subjects were included if they had an MRI and lateral x-ray of the hip (45o Dunn, Cross Table, or frog) at a baseline visit. On MRI, evaluation of the anterolateral femoral head was evaluated using radial, coronal, sagittal, or axial oblique sequences. When a soft CAM lesion was identified (all found between 2-5 o’clock), an alpha angle was performed on MRI and plain radiograph. The cohort of soft CAM lesions was reviewed and differences between radiographic and MRI alpha angles were assessed using a paired T-Test. Results: Thirty-one (9.3%) of 332 hips (mean age 16.4 yrs, range 13.66-19.59 yrs; 83.9% F) were identified with a soft impinging lesion at the femoral head-neck junction on MRI. The most common primary sport was track & field (4), the average duration of symptoms was 92.4 weeks and a majority with insidious onset (77.4%). The average alpha angle on MRI was greater than on x-ray [63.53 ± 7.94o vs 51.25 ± 7.92o; p<0.05]. All subjects with soft CAM lesions demonstrated soft tissue consistent with extension of the physis (n=1),thickening of the peri-chondral ring (n=22), or thickening of the periosteum (n=8). Twenty-two of these patients (71%) with soft impingement underwent hip preservation surgery (n=13 labral repairs) with improvements in clinical outcome. Conclusion: In adolescent patients with symptomatic hip impingement, MRI may be useful to identify soft CAM lesions (non-ossified) that are under-represented on x-ray.

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Visualization Ability of Phase-Contrast Synchrotron-Based X-Ray Imaging Using an X-Ray Interferometer in Soft Tissue Tumors

Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment ◽

10.1177/15330338211010121 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 153303382110101

Author(s):

Thet-Thet Lwin ◽

Akio Yoneyama ◽

Hiroko Maruyama ◽

Tohoru Takeda

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

Soft Tissue ◽

Spatial Resolution ◽

Phase Contrast ◽

Soft Tissue Tumors ◽

X Ray ◽

3 Dimensional ◽

Computed Tomography Images ◽

X Ray Imaging ◽

X Ray Computed

Phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer provides high sensitivity and high spatial resolution, and it has the ability to depict the fine morphological structures of biological soft tissues, including tumors. In this study, we quantitatively compared phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray computed tomography images and images of histopathological hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections of spontaneously occurring rat testicular tumors that contained different types of cells. The absolute densities measured on the phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray computed tomography images correlated well with the densities of the nuclear chromatin in the histological images, thereby demonstrating the ability of phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer to reliably identify the characteristics of cancer cells within solid soft tissue tumors. In addition, 3-dimensional synchrotron-based phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography enables screening for different structures within tumors, such as solid, cystic, and fibrous tissues, and blood clots, from any direction and with a spatial resolution down to 26 μm. Thus, phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer shows potential for being useful in preclinical cancer research by providing the ability to depict the characteristics of tumor cells and by offering 3-dimensional information capabilities.

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