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This Article Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free All Versions of this Article: 100/1/274    most recent 00495.2005v1 Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (4) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Matsumoto, T. Articles by Tanaka, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Matsumoto, T. Articles by Tanaka, M.

Monochromatic synchrotron radiation µCT reveals disuse-mediated canal network rarefaction in cortical bone of growing rat tibiae

¹Division of Bioengineering, Osaka University Graduate School of Engineering Science, Toyonaka; ²Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki; ³SPring-8/Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, Kouto; and ⁴Division of Mechanical Science, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Engineering, Sapporo, Japan

Submitted 29 April 2005 ; accepted in final form 29 August 2005

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the ability of computed microtomography based on monochromatic synchrotron radiation (SRµCT) in microstructural analysis of cortical bone. Tibial diaphyses of growing rats (14 wk, n = 8) undergoing unilateral sciatic neurectomy 8 wk before study were imaged with spatial volume resolution of 5.83 x 5.83 x 5.83 µm³ by SRµCT (20 keV) at the synchrotron radiation facility (SPring-8). Reconstructed image data were translated into local mineral densities by using a calibrated linear relationship between linear absorption coefficients and concentrations of homogeneous K₂HPO₄ solution. Pure bone three-dimensional images, produced by simple thresholding at a bone mineral density of 0.82 g/cm³, were analyzed for macro- and microscopic structural properties. In neurectomized hindlimbs, cortical canal network rarefaction as well as bone atrophy were found. The former was characterized by 30% smaller porosity, 11% smaller canal density in transverse section, and 38% smaller canal connectivity density than those in contralateral bone. On the other hand, no difference was found in bone mineral density between neurectomized and intact hindlimbs (1.37 vs. 1.36 g/cm³). In conclusion, SRµCT is a promising method for the three-dimensional analysis of cortical microstructure and the degree of mineralization in small animals.

computed microtomography; cortical canal network; bone mineralization; unilateral sciatic neurectomy