Visualization of woven bone structure through analysis of biopsy specimens using synchrotron radiation and conventional X-ray microcomputed tomography

摘要

This study explores the application of synchrotron radiation and conventional microcomputed tomography (SR-mu CT and C-mu CT, respectively) in evaluating bone-biopsy specimens. Bone-biopsy specimens were obtained using a trephine bur during bone-graft removal for implant placement six months after performing a maxillary sinus bone-graft procedure. Image data of specimens were obtained using SR-mu CT and C-mu CT. SR-mu CT was performed using the 6C biomedical imaging beamline at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory with a monochromatic X-ray beam of 23 keV, and C-mu CT was performed using a table-top CT scanner (Skyscan 1272). Reconstruction images obtained using the two methods were qualitatively compared with 2D images evaluated under 3D visualization. The SR-mu CT images, especially of the new-bone-graft-woven-bone formation, were less noisy and sharper than the C-mu CT images. To evaluate the new-bone-graft-woven-bone formation, only the SR-mu CT images showed areas of new bone (NB) formation with bone substitute (BS; Bio-Oss) and woven bone (WB) contact, and correctly visualized true 3D structures of bone formation. Hence, mu CT techniques are non-destructive and can provide detailed images of bone biopsy. In particular, SR-mu CT can be used to obtain improved image quality with contrast of NB, BS and WB, demonstrating a level of detail comparable with bone formation. SR-mu CT could be an unbiased 3D alternative for imaging WB formation and for high-throughput analysis.