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Phase-contrast enhanced synchrotron micro-tomography of human meniscus tissue

Einarsson, E LU ; Pierantoni, M LU ; Novak, V ; Svensson, J LU ; Isaksson, H LU orcid and Englund, M LU orcid (2022) In Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 30(9). p.1222-1233
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of synchrotron radiation-based phase contrast enhanced micro-computed tomography (SR-PhC-μCT) for imaging of human meniscus. Quantitative parameters related to fiber orientation and crimping were evaluated as potential markers of tissue degeneration.

DESIGN: Human meniscus specimens from 10 deceased donors were prepared using different preparation schemes: fresh frozen and thawed before imaging or fixed and paraffin-embedded. The samples were imaged using SR-PhC-μCT with an isotropic voxel size of 1.625 μm. Image quality was evaluated by visual inspection and spatial resolution. Fiber voxels were defined using a grey level threshold and a structure tensor analysis was applied to estimate... (More)

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of synchrotron radiation-based phase contrast enhanced micro-computed tomography (SR-PhC-μCT) for imaging of human meniscus. Quantitative parameters related to fiber orientation and crimping were evaluated as potential markers of tissue degeneration.

DESIGN: Human meniscus specimens from 10 deceased donors were prepared using different preparation schemes: fresh frozen and thawed before imaging or fixed and paraffin-embedded. The samples were imaged using SR-PhC-μCT with an isotropic voxel size of 1.625 μm. Image quality was evaluated by visual inspection and spatial resolution. Fiber voxels were defined using a grey level threshold and a structure tensor analysis was applied to estimate collagen fiber orientation. The area at half maximum (FAHM) was calculated from angle histograms to quantify orientation distribution. Crimping period was calculated from the power spectrum of image profiles of crimped fibers. Parameters were compared to degenerative stage as evaluated by Pauli histopathological scoring.

RESULTS: Image quality was similar between frozen and embedded samples and spatial resolutions ranged from 5.1 to 5.8 μm. Fiber structure, including crimping, was clearly visible in the images. Fibers appeared to be less organized closer to the tip of the meniscus. Fiber density might decrease slightly with degeneration. FAHM and crimping period did not show any clear association with histopathological scoring.

CONCLUSION: SR-PhC-μCT is a feasible technique for high-resolution 3D imaging of fresh frozen meniscus tissue. Further work is needed to establish quantitative parameters that relate to tissue degeneration, but this imaging technique is promising for future studies of meniscus structure and biomechanical response.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Humans, Meniscus, Microscopy, Phase-Contrast, Synchrotrons, Tomography, X-Ray Microtomography
in
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
volume
30
issue
9
pages
12 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85134814472
  • pmid:35750240
ISSN
1063-4584
DOI
10.1016/j.joca.2022.06.003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
id
6f9d73bd-404d-4e44-abf6-f8ee599d2d12
date added to LUP
2023-10-19 15:47:01
date last changed
2024-04-19 02:38:43
@article{6f9d73bd-404d-4e44-abf6-f8ee599d2d12,
  abstract     = {{<p>OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of synchrotron radiation-based phase contrast enhanced micro-computed tomography (SR-PhC-μCT) for imaging of human meniscus. Quantitative parameters related to fiber orientation and crimping were evaluated as potential markers of tissue degeneration.</p><p>DESIGN: Human meniscus specimens from 10 deceased donors were prepared using different preparation schemes: fresh frozen and thawed before imaging or fixed and paraffin-embedded. The samples were imaged using SR-PhC-μCT with an isotropic voxel size of 1.625 μm. Image quality was evaluated by visual inspection and spatial resolution. Fiber voxels were defined using a grey level threshold and a structure tensor analysis was applied to estimate collagen fiber orientation. The area at half maximum (FAHM) was calculated from angle histograms to quantify orientation distribution. Crimping period was calculated from the power spectrum of image profiles of crimped fibers. Parameters were compared to degenerative stage as evaluated by Pauli histopathological scoring.</p><p>RESULTS: Image quality was similar between frozen and embedded samples and spatial resolutions ranged from 5.1 to 5.8 μm. Fiber structure, including crimping, was clearly visible in the images. Fibers appeared to be less organized closer to the tip of the meniscus. Fiber density might decrease slightly with degeneration. FAHM and crimping period did not show any clear association with histopathological scoring.</p><p>CONCLUSION: SR-PhC-μCT is a feasible technique for high-resolution 3D imaging of fresh frozen meniscus tissue. Further work is needed to establish quantitative parameters that relate to tissue degeneration, but this imaging technique is promising for future studies of meniscus structure and biomechanical response.</p>}},
  author       = {{Einarsson, E and Pierantoni, M and Novak, V and Svensson, J and Isaksson, H and Englund, M}},
  issn         = {{1063-4584}},
  keywords     = {{Humans; Meniscus; Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; Synchrotrons; Tomography; X-Ray Microtomography}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{9}},
  pages        = {{1222--1233}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Osteoarthritis and Cartilage}},
  title        = {{Phase-contrast enhanced synchrotron micro-tomography of human meniscus tissue}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2022.06.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.joca.2022.06.003}},
  volume       = {{30}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}