1
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Zhang L, Zhao H, Zhou Z, Jia M, Zhang L, Jiang J, Gao F. Improving spatial resolution with an edge-enhancement model for low-dose propagation-based X-ray phase-contrast computed tomography. OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 29:37399-37417. [PMID: 34808812 DOI: 10.1364/oe.440664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Propagation-based X-ray phase-contrast computed tomography (PB-PCCT) has been increasingly popular for distinguishing low contrast tissues. Phase retrieval is an important step to quantitatively obtain the phase information before the tomographic reconstructions, while typical phase retrieval methods in PB-PCCT, such as homogenous transport of intensity equation (TIE-Hom), are essentially low-pass filters and thus improve the signal to noise ratio at the expense of the reduced spatial resolution of the reconstructed image. To improve the reconstructed spatial resolution, measured phase contrast projections with high edge enhancement and the phase projections retrieved by TIE-Hom were weighted summed and fed into an iterative tomographic algorithm within the framework of the adaptive steepest descent projections onto convex sets (ASD-POCS), which was employed for suppressing the image noise in low dose reconstructions because of the sparse-view scanning strategy or low exposure time for single phase contrast projection. The merging strategy decreases the accuracy of the linear model of PB-PCCT and would finally lead to the reconstruction failure in iterative reconstructions. Therefore, the additive median root prior is also introduced in the algorithm to partly increase the model accuracy. The reconstructed spatial resolution and noise performance can be flexibly balanced by a pair of antagonistic hyper-parameters. Validations were performed by the established phase-contrast Feldkamp-Davis-Kress, phase-retrieved Feldkamp-Davis-Kress, conventional ASD-POCS and the proposed enhanced ASD-POCS with a numerical phantom dataset and experimental biomaterial dataset. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the conventional ASD-POCS in spatial evaluation assessments such as root mean square error (a ratio of 9.78%), contrast to noise ratio (CNR) (a ratio of 7.46%), and also frequency evaluation assessments such as modulation transfer function (a ratio of 66.48% of MTF50% (50% MTF value)), noise power spectrum (a ratio of 35.25% of f50% (50% value of the Nyquist frequency)) and noise equivalent quanta (1-2 orders of magnitude at high frequencies). Experimental results again confirm the superiority of proposed strategy relative to the conventional one in terms of edge sharpness and CNR (an average increase of 67.35%).
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2
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Lwin TT, Yoneyama A, Maruyama H, Takeda T. Visualization Ability of Phase-Contrast Synchrotron-Based X-Ray Imaging Using an X-Ray Interferometer in Soft Tissue Tumors. Technol Cancer Res Treat 2021; 20:15330338211010121. [PMID: 33896273 PMCID: PMC8085371 DOI: 10.1177/15330338211010121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer provides high sensitivity and high spatial resolution, and it has the ability to depict the fine morphological structures of biological soft tissues, including tumors. In this study, we quantitatively compared phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray computed tomography images and images of histopathological hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections of spontaneously occurring rat testicular tumors that contained different types of cells. The absolute densities measured on the phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray computed tomography images correlated well with the densities of the nuclear chromatin in the histological images, thereby demonstrating the ability of phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer to reliably identify the characteristics of cancer cells within solid soft tissue tumors. In addition, 3-dimensional synchrotron-based phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography enables screening for different structures within tumors, such as solid, cystic, and fibrous tissues, and blood clots, from any direction and with a spatial resolution down to 26 μm. Thus, phase-contrast synchrotron-based X-ray imaging using an X-ray interferometer shows potential for being useful in preclinical cancer research by providing the ability to depict the characteristics of tumor cells and by offering 3-dimensional information capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thet-Thet Lwin
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.,Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | | | - Hiroko Maruyama
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.,Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Tohoru Takeda
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.,Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
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3
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Kastner DB, Kharazia V, Nevers R, Smyth C, Astudillo-Maya DA, Williams GM, Yang Z, Holobetz CM, Santina LD, Parkinson DY, Frank LM. Scalable method for micro-CT analysis enables large scale quantitative characterization of brain lesions and implants. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20851. [PMID: 33257721 PMCID: PMC7705725 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77796-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Anatomic evaluation is an important aspect of many studies in neuroscience; however, it often lacks information about the three-dimensional structure of the brain. Micro-CT imaging provides an excellent, nondestructive, method for the evaluation of brain structure, but current applications to neurophysiological or lesion studies require removal of the skull as well as hazardous chemicals, dehydration, or embedding, limiting their scalability and utility. Here we present a protocol using eosin in combination with bone decalcification to enhance contrast in the tissue and then employ monochromatic and propagation phase-contrast micro-CT imaging to enable the imaging of brain structure with the preservation of the surrounding skull. Instead of relying on descriptive, time-consuming, or subjective methods, we develop simple quantitative analyses to map the locations of recording electrodes and to characterize the presence and extent of hippocampal brain lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Kastner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA. .,Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience and Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Viktor Kharazia
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience and Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Rhino Nevers
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience and Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Clay Smyth
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience and Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Daniela A Astudillo-Maya
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience and Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Greer M Williams
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Zhounan Yang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Cristofer M Holobetz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Luca Della Santina
- Deparment of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.,Bakar Computational Health Science Unit, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Dilworth Y Parkinson
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Loren M Frank
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.,Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience and Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
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4
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Shi S, Zhang H, Yin X, Wang Z, Tang B, Luo Y, Ding H, Chen Z, Cao Y, Wang T, Xiao B, Zhang M. 3D digital anatomic angioarchitecture of the mouse brain using synchrotron-radiation-based propagation phase-contrast imaging. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2019; 26:1742-1750. [PMID: 31490166 DOI: 10.1107/s160057751900674x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Thorough investigation of the three-dimensional (3D) configuration of the vasculature of mouse brain remains technologically difficult because of its complex anatomical structure. In this study, a systematic analysis is developed to visualize the 3D angioarchitecture of mouse brain at ultrahigh resolution using synchrotron-radiation-based propagation phase-contrast imaging. This method provides detailed restoration of the intricate brain microvascular network in a precise 3D manner. In addition to depicting the delicate 3D arrangements of the vascular network, 3D virtual micro-endoscopy is also innovatively performed to visualize randomly a selected vessel within the brain for both external 3D micro-imaging and endoscopic visualization of any targeted microvessels, which improves the understanding of the intrinsic properties of the mouse brain angioarchitecture. Based on these data, hierarchical visualization has been established and a systematic assessment on the 3D configuration of the mouse brain microvascular network has been achieved at high resolution which will aid in advancing the understanding of the role of vasculature in the perspective of structure and function in depth. This holds great promise for wider application in various models of neurovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shupeng Shi
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Haoran Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianzhen Yin
- Center for Drug Delivery System, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuolu Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Tang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuebei Luo
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Ding
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuohui Chen
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong Cao
- Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Tiantian Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengqi Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
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5
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Cao Y, Zhang M, Ding H, Chen Z, Tang B, Wu T, Xiao B, Duan C, Ni S, Jiang L, Luo Z, Li C, Zhao J, Liao S, Yin X, Fu Y, Xiao T, Lu H, Hu J. Synchrotron radiation micro-tomography for high-resolution neurovascular network morphology investigation. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2019; 26:607-618. [PMID: 31074423 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577519003060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
There has been increasing interest in using high-resolution micro-tomography to investigate the morphology of neurovascular networks in the central nervous system, which remain difficult to characterize due to their microscopic size as well as their delicate and complex 3D structure. Synchrotron radiation X-ray imaging, which has emerged as a cutting-edge imaging technology with a high spatial resolution, provides a novel platform for the non-destructive imaging of microvasculature networks at a sub-micrometre scale. When coupled with computed tomography, this technique allows the characterization of the 3D morphology of vasculature. The current review focuses on recent progress in developing synchrotron radiation methodology and its application in probing neurovascular networks, especially the pathological changes associated with vascular abnormalities in various model systems. Furthermore, this tool represents a powerful imaging modality that improves our understanding of the complex biological interactions between vascular function and neuronal activity in both physiological and pathological states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Cao
- Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengqi Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Ding
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuohui Chen
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Tang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianding Wu
- Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunyue Duan
- Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuangfei Ni
- Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Liyuan Jiang
- Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Zixiang Luo
- Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengjun Li
- Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinyun Zhao
- Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Shenghui Liao
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianzhen Yin
- Center for Drug Delivery System, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20203, People's Republic of China
| | - Yalan Fu
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility/Zhangjiang Lab, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 21204, People's Republic of China
| | - Tiqiao Xiao
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility/Zhangjiang Lab, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 21204, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongbin Lu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Injury, Aging and Regenerative Medicine of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianzhong Hu
- Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
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6
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Li X, Chen Z, Zhang L, Zhu X, Wang S, Peng W. Quantitative characterization of ex vivo breast tissue via x-ray phase-contrast tomography. JOURNAL OF X-RAY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2019; 27:503-516. [PMID: 30958320 DOI: 10.3233/xst-180453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Grating-based X-ray phase-contrast imaging (GPCI) has received growing interests in recent years due to its high capability of visualizing soft tissue. Breast imaging is one of the most promising candidates for the first clinical application of this imaging modality. OBJECTIVE In this work, quantitative breast tissue characterization based on GPCI computed tomography (CT) is investigated with a laboratory X-ray tube through a comparison between attenuation-based CT images and phase-contrast CT images. METHODS The Hounsfield units (HU) scale was introduced to phase-contrast images due to its wide application in clinical medicine. In this work, instead of water, plastic cylinders composed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was treated as the calibration material. An alternative test-retest reliability (TRR) was presented to evaluate the repeatability of GPCI. Comparison between attenuation-based CT imaging and GPCI CT imaging was operated with the use of statistical analysis methods like histograms and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS The determined mean TRR related to cylinders is slightly larger in phase-contrast imaging (0.93) than that in attenuation-based imaging (0.89). With respect to distinguishing breast tissues, the AUC (area under curve) values of ROC curves of phase-contrast images are higher than that of attenuation-based images. CONCLUSIONS An ex vivo study of GPCI shows that it is a stable imaging modality for visualizing the breast tissue with good repeatability, and that it could be of potential for the diagnosis of breast cancer as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinbin Li
- Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Particle & Radiation Imaging (Tsinghua University) of Ministry of Education, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiqiang Chen
- Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Particle & Radiation Imaging (Tsinghua University) of Ministry of Education, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Particle & Radiation Imaging (Tsinghua University) of Ministry of Education, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohua Zhu
- Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Particle & Radiation Imaging (Tsinghua University) of Ministry of Education, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Shengping Wang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dongan Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
| | - Weijun Peng
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dongan Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
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7
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High resolution laboratory grating-based X-ray phase-contrast CT. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15884. [PMID: 30367132 PMCID: PMC6203738 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33997-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The conventional form of computed tomography using X-ray attenuation without any contrast agents is of limited use for the characterization of soft tissue in many fields of medical and biological studies. Grating-based phase-contrast computed tomography (gbPC-CT) is a promising alternative imaging method solving the low soft tissue contrast without the need of any contrast agent. While highly sensitive measurements are possible using conventional X-ray sources the spatial resolution does often not fulfill the requirements for specific imaging tasks, such as visualization of pathologies. The focus of this study is the increase in spatial resolution without loss of sensitivity. To overcome this limitation a super-resolution reconstruction based on sub-pixel shifts involving a deconvolution of the image data during each iteration is applied. In our study we achieve an effective pixel size of 28 μm with a conventional rotating anode tube and a photon-counting detector. We also demonstrate that the method can upgrade existing setups to measure tomographies with higher resolution. The results show the increase in resolution at high sensitivity and with the ability to make quantitative measurements. The combination of sparse sampling and statistical iterative reconstruction may be used to reduce the total measurement time. In conclusion, we present high-quality and high-resolution tomographic images of biological samples to demonstrate the experimental feasibility of super-resolution reconstruction.
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8
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Goyens J, Vasilopoulou-Kampitsi M, Claes R, Sijbers J, Mancini L. Enhanced contrast in X-ray microtomographic images of the membranous labyrinth using different X-ray sources and scanning modes. J Anat 2018; 233:770-782. [PMID: 30277260 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, plays a crucial role in balance and gaze stabilisation by sensing head movements. The interconnected tubes with membranous walls of the vestibular system are located in the skull bone (the 'membranous labyrinth'). Unfortunately, these membranes are very hard to visualise using three-dimensional (3D) X-ray imaging techniques. This difficulty arises due to the embedment of the membranes in the dense skull bone, the thinness of the membranes, and the small difference in X-ray absorption between the membranes and the surrounding fluid. In this study, we compared the visualisation of very small specimens (lizard heads with vestibular systems smaller than 3 mm) by X-ray computed micro-tomography (μCT) based on synchrotron radiation and conventional sources. A visualisation protocol using conventional X-ray μCT would be very useful thanks to the ease of access and lower cost. Careful optimisation of the acquisition parameters enables detection of the membranes by using μCT scanners based on conventional microfocus sources, but in some cases a low contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) prevents fast and reliable segmentation of the membranes. Synchrotron radiation μCT proved to be preferable for the visualisation of the small samples with very thin membranes, because of their high demands for spatial and contrast resolution. The best contrast was obtained by using synchrotron radiation μCT working in phase-contrast mode, leading to up to twice as high CNRs than the best conventional μCT results. The CNR of the synchrotron radiation μCT scans was sufficiently high enough to enable the construction of a 3D model by the means of semi-automatic segmentation of the membranous labyrinth. Membrane thickness was found to range between 2.7 and 36.3 μm. Hence, the minimal membrane thickness was found to be much smaller than described previously in the literature (between 10 and 50 μm).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Goyens
- Laboratory of Functional Morphology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Raf Claes
- Laboratory of Functional Morphology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jan Sijbers
- Imec-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Lucia Mancini
- Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
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9
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Croton LCP, Morgan KS, Paganin DM, Kerr LT, Wallace MJ, Crossley KJ, Miller SL, Yagi N, Uesugi K, Hooper SB, Kitchen MJ. In situ phase contrast X-ray brain CT. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11412. [PMID: 30061729 PMCID: PMC6065359 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29841-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Phase contrast X-ray imaging (PCXI) is an emerging imaging modality that has the potential to greatly improve radiography for medical imaging and materials analysis. PCXI makes it possible to visualise soft-tissue structures that are otherwise unresolved with conventional CT by rendering phase gradients in the X-ray wavefield visible. This can improve the contrast resolution of soft tissues structures, like the lungs and brain, by orders of magnitude. Phase retrieval suppresses noise, revealing weakly-attenuating soft tissue structures, however it does not remove the artefacts from the highly attenuating bone of the skull and from imperfections in the imaging system that can obscure those structures. The primary causes of these artefacts are investigated and a simple method to visualise the features they obstruct is proposed, which can easily be implemented for preclinical animal studies. We show that phase contrast X-ray CT (PCXI-CT) can resolve the soft tissues of the brain in situ without a need for contrast agents at a dose ~400 times lower than would be required by standard absorption contrast CT. We generalise a well-known phase retrieval algorithm for multiple-material samples specifically for CT, validate its use for brain CT, and demonstrate its high stability in the presence of noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda C P Croton
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.
| | - Kaye S Morgan
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.,Chair of Biomedical Physics, Department of Physics, Munich School of Bioengineering, and Institute of Advanced Study, Technische Universität München, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - David M Paganin
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Lauren T Kerr
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.,Cancer Research UK, Angel, London, United Kingdom
| | - Megan J Wallace
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Kelly J Crossley
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Suzanne L Miller
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Naoto Yagi
- Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI/SPring-8), 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo, 679-5198, Japan
| | - Kentaro Uesugi
- Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI/SPring-8), 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo, 679-5198, Japan
| | - Stuart B Hooper
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Marcus J Kitchen
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
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10
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Correlative Detection of Isolated Single and Multi-Cellular Calcifications in the Internal Elastic Lamina of Human Coronary Artery Samples. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10978. [PMID: 30030502 PMCID: PMC6054664 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29379-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Histopathology protocols often require sectioning and processing of numerous microscopy slides to survey a sample. Trade-offs between workload and sampling density means that small features can be missed. Aiming to reduce the workload of routine histology protocols and the concern over missed pathology in skipped sections, we developed a prototype x-ray tomographic scanner dedicated to rapid scouting and identification of regions of interest in pathology specimens, thereby allowing targeted histopathology analysis to replace blanket searches. In coronary artery samples of a deceased HIV patient, the scanner, called Tomopath, obtained depth-resolved cross-sectional images at 15 µm resolution in a 15-minute scan, which guided the subsequent histological sectioning and microscopy. When compared to a commercial tabletop micro-CT scanner, the prototype provided several-fold contrast-to-noise ratio in 1/11th the scan time. Correlated tomographic and histological images revealed two types of micro calcifications: scattered loose calcifications typically found in atherosclerotic lesions; isolated focal calcifications in one or several cells in the internal elastic lamina and occasionally in the tunica media, which we speculate were the initiation of medial calcification linked to kidney disease, but rarely detected at this early stage due to their similarity to particle contaminants introduced during histological processing, if not for the evidence from the tomography scan prior to sectioning. Thus, in addition to its utility as a scouting tool, in this study it provided complementary information to histological microscopy. Overall, the prototype scanner represents a step toward a dedicated scouting and complementary imaging tool for routine use in pathology labs.
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11
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Barbone GE, Bravin A, Romanelli P, Mittone A, Bucci D, Gaaβ T, Le Duc G, Auweter S, Reiser MF, Kraiger MJ, Hrabě de Angelis M, Battaglia G, Coan P. Micro-imaging of Brain Cancer Radiation Therapy Using Phase-contrast Computed Tomography. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2018; 101:965-984. [PMID: 29976510 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2018.03.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Experimental neuroimaging provides a wide range of methods for the visualization of brain anatomic morphology down to subcellular detail. Still, each technique-specific detection mechanism presents compromises among the achievable field-of-view size, spatial resolution, and nervous tissue sensitivity, leading to partial sample coverage, unresolved morphologic structures, or sparse labeling of neuronal populations and often also to obligatory sample dissection or other sample invasive manipulations. X-ray phase-contrast imaging computed tomography (PCI-CT) is an experimental imaging method that simultaneously provides micrometric spatial resolution, high soft-tissue sensitivity, and ex vivo full organ rodent brain coverage without any need for sample dissection, staining or labeling, or contrast agent injection. In the present study, we explored the benefits and limitations of PCI-CT use for in vitro imaging of normal and cancerous brain neuromorphology after in vivo treatment with synchrotron-generated x-ray microbeam radiation therapy (MRT), a spatially fractionated experimental high-dose radiosurgery. The goals were visualization of the MRT effects on nervous tissue and a qualitative comparison of the results to the histologic and high-field magnetic resonance imaging findings. METHODS AND MATERIALS MRT was administered in vivo to the brain of both healthy and cancer-bearing rats. At 45 days after treatment, the brain was dissected out and imaged ex vivo using propagation-based PCI-CT. RESULTS PCI-CT visualizes the brain anatomy and microvasculature in 3 dimensions and distinguishes cancerous tissue morphology, necrosis, and intratumor accumulation of iron and calcium deposits. Moreover, PCI-CT detects the effects of MRT throughout the treatment target areas (eg, the formation of micrometer-thick radiation-induced tissue ablation). The observed neurostructures were confirmed by histologic and immunohistochemistry examination and related to the micro-magnetic resonance imaging data. CONCLUSIONS PCI-CT enabled a unique 3D neuroimaging approach for ex vivo studies on small animal models in that it concurrently delivers high-resolution insight of local brain tissue morphology in both normal and cancerous micro-milieu, localizes radiosurgical damage, and highlights the deep microvasculature. This method could assist experimental small animal neurology studies in the postmortem evaluation of neuropathology or treatment effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo E Barbone
- Department of Physics, Ludwig Maximilians University, Garching, Germany
| | - Alberto Bravin
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France
| | | | | | - Domenico Bucci
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Neuropharmacology Section, I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Thomas Gaaβ
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Sigrid Auweter
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - Maximilian F Reiser
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus J Kraiger
- Institute of Experimental Genetics and German Mouse Clinic, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Martin Hrabě de Angelis
- Institute of Experimental Genetics and German Mouse Clinic, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Department of Experimental Genetics, School of Life Science Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Giuseppe Battaglia
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Neuropharmacology Section, I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Paola Coan
- Department of Physics, Ludwig Maximilians University, Garching, Germany; Department of Clinical Radiology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.
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12
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Hieber SE, Bikis C, Khimchenko A, Schweighauser G, Hench J, Chicherova N, Schulz G, Müller B. Tomographic brain imaging with nucleolar detail and automatic cell counting. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32156. [PMID: 27581254 PMCID: PMC5007499 DOI: 10.1038/srep32156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain tissue evaluation is essential for gaining in-depth insight into its diseases and disorders. Imaging the human brain in three dimensions has always been a challenge on the cell level. In vivo methods lack spatial resolution, and optical microscopy has a limited penetration depth. Herein, we show that hard X-ray phase tomography can visualise a volume of up to 43 mm3 of human post mortem or biopsy brain samples, by demonstrating the method on the cerebellum. We automatically identified 5,000 Purkinje cells with an error of less than 5% at their layer and determined the local surface density to 165 cells per mm2 on average. Moreover, we highlight that three-dimensional data allows for the segmentation of sub-cellular structures, including dendritic tree and Purkinje cell nucleoli, without dedicated staining. The method suggests that automatic cell feature quantification of human tissues is feasible in phase tomograms obtained with isotropic resolution in a label-free manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone E Hieber
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Gewerbestrasse 14, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Christos Bikis
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Gewerbestrasse 14, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Anna Khimchenko
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Gewerbestrasse 14, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Gabriel Schweighauser
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 40, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jürgen Hench
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 40, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Natalia Chicherova
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Gewerbestrasse 14, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland.,Medical Image Analysis Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Gewerbestrasse 14, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Georg Schulz
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Gewerbestrasse 14, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Bert Müller
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Gewerbestrasse 14, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
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13
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Yang Q, Cong W, Wang G. Interior Tomography from Differential Phase Contrast Data via Hilbert Transform Based on Spline Functions. PROCEEDINGS OF SPIE--THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR OPTICAL ENGINEERING 2016; 9967. [PMID: 28579667 DOI: 10.1117/12.2237818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
X-ray phase contrast imaging is an important mode due to its sensitivity to subtle features of soft biological tissues. Grating-based differential phase contrast (DPC) imaging is one of the most promising phase imaging techniques because it works with a normal x-ray tube of a large focal spot at a high flux rate. However, a main obstacle before this paradigm shift is the fabrication of large-area gratings of a small period and a high aspect ratio. Imaging large objects with a size-limited grating results in data truncation which is a new type of the interior problem. While the interior problem was solved for conventional x-ray CT through analytic extension, compressed sensing and iterative reconstruction, the difficulty for interior reconstruction from DPC data lies in that the implementation of the system matrix requires the differential operation on the detector array, which is often inaccurate and unstable in the case of noisy data. Here, we propose an iterative method based on spline functions. The differential data are first back-projected to the image space. Then, a system matrix is calculated whose components are the Hilbert transforms of the spline bases. The system matrix takes the whole image as an input and outputs the back-projected interior data. Prior information normally assumed for compressed sensing is enforced to iteratively solve this inverse problem. Our results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can successfully reconstruct an interior region of interest (ROI) from the differential phase data through the ROI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingsong Yang
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Wenxiang Cong
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Ge Wang
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
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Izadifar Z, Honaramooz A, Wiebe S, Belev G, Chen X, Chapman D. Low-dose phase-based X-ray imaging techniques for in situ soft tissue engineering assessments. Biomaterials 2016; 82:151-67. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2015.11.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 11/29/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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15
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3D visualization of the lumbar facet joint after degeneration using propagation phase contrast micro-tomography. Sci Rep 2016; 6:21838. [PMID: 26907889 PMCID: PMC4764819 DOI: 10.1038/srep21838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Lumbar facet joint (LFJ) degeneration is believed to be an important cause of low back pain (LBP). Identifying the morphological changes of the LFJ in the degeneration process at a high-resolution level could be meaningful for our better understanding of the possible mechanisms underlying this process. In the present study, we determined the 3D morphology of the LFJ using propagation phase contrast micro-tomography (PPCT) in rats to assess the subtle changes that occur during the degeneration process. PPCT provides vivid 3D images of micromorphological changes in the LFJ during its degeneration process, and the changes in the subchondral bone occurred earlier than in the cartilage during the early stage of degeneration of the LFJ. The delineation of this alteration was similar to that with the histological method. Our findings demonstrated that PPCT could serve as a valuable tool for 3D visualization of the morphology of the LFJ by providing comprehensive information about the cartilage and the underlying subchondral bone and their changes during degeneration processes. It might also have great potential for providing effective diagnostic tools to track changes in the cartilage and to evaluate the effects of therapeutic interventions for LFJ degeneration in preclinical studies.
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Ultra-high-resolution 3D digitalized imaging of the cerebral angioarchitecture in rats using synchrotron radiation. Sci Rep 2015; 5:14982. [PMID: 26443231 PMCID: PMC4595735 DOI: 10.1038/srep14982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The angioarchitecture is a fundamental aspect of brain development and physiology. However, available imaging tools are unsuited for non-destructive cerebral mapping of the functionally important three-dimensional (3D) vascular microstructures. To address this issue, we developed an ultra-high resolution 3D digitalized angioarchitectural map for rat brain, based on synchrotron radiation phase contrast imaging (SR-PCI) with pixel size of 5.92 μm. This approach provides a systematic and detailed view of the cerebrovascular anatomy at the micrometer level without any need for contrast agents. From qualitative and quantitative perspectives, the present 3D data provide a considerable insight into the spatial vascular network for whole rodent brain, particularly for functionally important regions of interest, such as the hippocampus, pre-frontal cerebral cortex and the corpus striatum. We extended these results to synchrotron-based virtual micro-endoscopy, thus revealing the trajectory of targeted vessels in 3D. The SR-PCI method for systematic visualization of cerebral microvasculature holds considerable promise for wider application in life sciences, including 3D micro-imaging in experimental models of neurodevelopmental and vascular disorders.
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