Visualization of mouse spinal cord intramedullary arteries using phase- and attenuation-contrast tomographic imaging

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 966-974 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Cao ◽  
Xianzhen Yin ◽  
Jiwen Zhang ◽  
Tianding Wu ◽  
Dongzhe Li ◽  
...  

Many spinal cord circulatory disorders present the substantial involvement of small vessel lesions. The central sulcus arteries supply nutrition to a large part of the spinal cord, and, if not detected early, lesions in the spinal cord will cause irreversible damage to the function of this organ. Thus, early detection of these small vessel lesions could potentially facilitate the effective diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. However, the detection of such small vessels is beyond the capability of current imaging techniques. In this study, an imaging method is proposed and the potential of phase-contrast imaging (PCI)- and attenuation-contrast imaging (ACI)-based synchrotron radiation for high-resolution tomography of intramedullary arteries in mouse spinal cord is validated. The three-dimensional vessel morphology, particularly that of the central sulcus arteries (CSA), detected with these two imaging models was quantitatively analyzed and compared. It was determined that both PCI- and ACI-based synchrotron radiation can be used to visualize the physiological arrangement of the entire intramedullary artery network in the mouse spinal cord in both two dimensions and three dimensions at a high-resolution scale. Additionally, the two-dimensional and three-dimensional vessel morphometric parameter measurements obtained with PCI are similar to the ACI data. Furthermore, PCI allows efficient and direct discrimination of the same branch level of the CSA without contrast agent injection and is expected to provide reliable biological information regarding the intramedullary artery. Compared with ACI, PCI might be a novel imaging method that offers a powerful imaging platform for evaluating pathological changes in small vessels and may also allow better clarification of their role in neurovascular disorders.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Tao ◽  
Chen-Chen Gao ◽  
Xue-Hong Tong ◽  
Shizhen Yuan ◽  
Tian-tian Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives This article shows an imaging method of the stomach that does not use imaging agents. X-ray phase-contrast images of different stages of gastric development were taken using X-ray in-line phase-contrast imaging (XILPCI). The aim of the study was to demonstrate that XILPCI is a micron imaging method for gastric structures. Methods The stomachs of 4-, 6- and 12-week-old rats were removed and cleaned. XILPCI has 1000 times greater soft tissue contrast than that of X-ray traditional absorption radiography. The projection images of the rats’ stomachs were recorded by an XILPCI charge coupled device (CCD) at 9 μm image resolution. Results The X-ray in-line phase-contrast images of the different stages of rat gastric specimens clearly showed the gastric architectures and the details of the gastroduodenal region. 3-dimensional stomach anatomical structure images were reconstruction. Conclusion The reconstructed gastric 3D images can clearly display the internal structure of the stomach. XILPCI may be a useful method for medical research in the future. Keywords: Synchrotron radiation phase-contrast imaging, 3-dimensional gastric structure images


2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (10) ◽  
pp. 101904 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianzhong Hu ◽  
Yong Cao ◽  
Tianding Wu ◽  
Dongzhe Li ◽  
Hongbin Lu

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Tao ◽  
Chen-Chen Gao ◽  
Xue-Hong Tong ◽  
Shi-Zhen Yuan ◽  
Jingdong Xu

Abstract Background: The structural changes of gastric mucosa are considered as an important window of early gastric lesions. This article shows an imaging method of the stomach that does not use imaging agents. X-ray phase-contrast images of different stages of gastric development were taken using micrometer level X-ray in-line phase-contrast imaging (XILPCI) technique on synchrotron radiation facility. The aim of the study was to demonstrate that the imaging technique is an appropriate method for micron imaging of the gastric structures.Methods: The stomachs of 4-, 6- and 12-week-old rats were removed and cleaned. XILPCI has 1000 times greater soft tissue contrast than that of X-ray traditional absorption radiography. The projection images of the rats stomachs were recorded by an XILPCI charge coupled device (CCD) at 9 μm image resolution.Results: The X-ray in-line phase-contrast images of the different stages of rats’ gastric specimens clearly showed the gastric architectures and the details of the gastro-duodenal region. 3-dimensional stomach anatomical structure images were reconstruction. Conclusion: The reconstructed gastric 3D images can clearly display the internal structure of the stomach. XILPCI may be a useful method for medical research in the future.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Tao ◽  
Chen-Chen Gao ◽  
Xue-Hong Tong ◽  
Shi-Zhen Yuan ◽  
Jingdong Xu

Abstract Background: The structural changes of gastric mucosa are considered as an important window of early gastric lesions. This article shows an imaging method of the stomach that does not use imaging agents. X-ray phase-contrast images of different stages of gastric development were taken using micrometer level X-ray in-line phase-contrast imaging (XILPCI) technique on synchrotron radiation facility. The aim of the study was to demonstrate that the imaging technique is an appropriate method for micron imaging of the gastric structures.Methods: The stomachs of 4-, 6- and 12-week-old rats were removed and cleaned. XILPCI has 1000 times greater soft tissue contrast than that of X-ray traditional absorption radiography. The projection images of the rats stomachs were recorded by an XILPCI charge coupled device (CCD) at 9 μm image resolution.Results: The X-ray in-line phase-contrast images of the different stages of rats’ gastric specimens clearly showed the gastric architectures and the details of the gastro-duodenal region. 3-dimensional stomach anatomical structure images were reconstruction.Conclusion: The reconstructed gastric 3D images can clearly display the internal structure of the stomach. XILPCI may be a useful method for medical research in the future.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Tao ◽  
Chen-Chen Gao ◽  
Xue-Hong Tong ◽  
Shi-Zhen Yuan ◽  
Jingdong Xu

Abstract Background: The structural changes of gastric mucosa are considered as an important window of early gastric lesions. This article shows an imaging method of the stomach that does not use imaging agents. X-ray phase-contrast images of different stages of gastric development were taken using micrometer level X-ray in-line phase-contrast imaging (XILPCI) technique on synchrotron radiation facility. The aim of the study was to demonstrate that the imaging technique is an appropriate method for micron imaging of the gastric structures.Methods: The stomachs of 4-, 6- and 12-week-old rats were removed and cleaned. XILPCI has 1000 times greater soft tissue contrast than that of X-ray traditional absorption radiography. The projection images of the rats’ stomachs were recorded by an XILPCI charge coupled device (CCD) at 9 μm image resolution.Results: The X-ray in-line phase-contrast images of the different stages of rat gastric specimens clearly showed the gastric architectures and the details of the gastro-duodenal region. 3-dimensional stomach anatomical structure images were reconstruction. Conclusion: The reconstructed gastric 3D images can clearly display the internal structure of the stomach. XILPCI may be a useful method for medical research in the future.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Tao ◽  
Chenchen Gao ◽  
Xuehong Tong ◽  
Shizhen Yuan ◽  
Jingdong Xu

Abstract Background The structural changes of gastric mucosa are considered as an important window of early gastric lesions. This article shows an imaging method of the stomach that does not use imaging agents. X-ray phase-contrast images of different stages of gastric development were taken using micrometer level X-ray in-line phase-contrast imaging (XILPCI) technique on synchrotron radiation facility. The aim of the study was to demonstrate that the imaging technique is an appropriate method for micron imaging of the gastric structures. Methods The stomachs of 4-, 6- and 12-week-old rats were removed and cleaned. XILPCI has 1000 times greater soft tissue contrast than that of X-ray traditional absorption radiography. The projection images of the rats stomachs were recorded by an XILPCI charge coupled device (CCD) at 9-μm image resolution. Results The X-ray in-line phase-contrast images of the different stages of rats’ gastric specimens clearly showed the gastric architectures and the details of the gastro-duodenal region. 3-dimensional (3D) stomach anatomical structure images were reconstruction. Conclusion The reconstructed gastric 3D images can clearly display the internal structure of the stomach. XILPCI may be a useful method for medical research in the future.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 2024-2032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong-Lei Li ◽  
Hui Ding ◽  
Xian-Zhen Yin ◽  
Zhuo-Hui Chen ◽  
Bin Tang ◽  
...  

Conventional imaging methods such as magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography and digital subtraction angiography have limited temporospatial resolutions and shortcomings like invasive angiography, potential allergy to contrast agents, and image deformation, that restrict their application in high-resolution visualization of the structure of microvessels. In this study, through comparing synchrotron radiation (SR) absorption-contrast imaging to absorption phase-contrast imaging, it was found that SR-based phase-contrast imaging could provide more detailed ultra-high-pixel images of microvascular networks than absorption phase-contrast imaging. Simultaneously, SR-based phase-contrast imaging was used to perform high-quality, multi-dimensional and multi-scale imaging of rat brain angioarchitecture. With the aid of image post-processing, high-pixel-size two-dimensional virtual slices can be obtained without sectioning. The distribution of blood supply is in accordance with the results of traditional tissue staining. Three-dimensional anatomical maps of cerebral angioarchitecture can also be acquired. Functional partitions of regions of interest are reproduced in the reconstructed rat cerebral vascular networks. Imaging analysis of the same sample can also be displayed simultaneously in two- and three-dimensional views, which provides abundant anatomical information together with parenchyma and vessels. In conclusion, SR-based phase-contrast imaging holds great promise for visualizing microstructure of microvascular networks in two- and three-dimensional perspectives during the development of neurovascular diseases.


2005 ◽  
Vol 86 (7) ◽  
pp. 071915 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Helfen ◽  
T. Baumbach ◽  
P. Mikulík ◽  
D. Kiel ◽  
P. Pernot ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 482-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianzhong Hu ◽  
Ping Li ◽  
Xianzhen Yin ◽  
Tianding Wu ◽  
Yong Cao ◽  
...  

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.


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