Quantitative evaluation of healing degree in injured tendons based on orientation analysis of collagen fibers by using Fourier-transform second-harmonic-generation microscopy and its relationship to mechanical property

摘要

We used Fourier-transform second-harmonic generation (FT-SHG) microscopy to analyze the orientation of collagen fibers in healing rabbit tendons recovered from an artificial transection. The histological difference between normal and healing tendons can be observed from normal SHG images, whereas the percentage of anisotropic (preferred orientation) regions obtained from the orientation analysis was well correlated (R2 = 0.63) with Young's modulus obtained from tensile testing of the same sample. Since Young's modulus reflects the degree of mechanical healing, our results indicate that FT-SHG microscopy have a unique potential as a non-destructive and non-invasive modality for a simultaneous assessment of the histological and mechanical healing degree in injured tendons.