Investigation of microstructural features in regenerating bone using micro computed tomography

J Mater Sci Mater Med. 2004 Apr;15(4):529-32. doi: 10.1023/b:jmsm.0000021133.48661.62.

Abstract

We illustrate some of the uses of micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to study tissue-engineered bone using a micro-CT facility for imaging and visualizing biomaterials in three dimensions (3-D). The micro-CT is capable of acquiring 3D X-ray CT images made up of 2000(3) voxels on specimens up to 5 cm in extent with resolutions down to 2 microm. This allows the 3-D structure of tissue-engineered materials to be imaged across orders of magnitude in resolution. This capability is used to examine an explanted, tissue-engineered bone material based on a polycaprolactone scaffold and autologous bone marrow cells. Imaging of the tissue-engineered bone at a scale of 1 cm and resolutions of 10 microm allows one to visualize the complex ingrowth of bone into the polymer scaffold. From a theoretical viewpoint the voxel data may also be used to calculate expected mechanical properties of the tissue-engineered implant. These observations illustrate the benefits of tomography over traditional techniques for the characterization of bone morphology and interconnectivity. As the method is nondestructive it can perform a complimentary role to current histomorphometric techniques.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry
  • Bone Regeneration / physiology*
  • Elasticity
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / instrumentation
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / methods*
  • Materials Testing / methods
  • Orbit / diagnostic imaging*
  • Orbit / physiopathology*
  • Osseointegration / physiology*
  • Polyesters / chemistry
  • Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Swine
  • Tissue Engineering / instrumentation
  • Tissue Engineering / methods*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / instrumentation
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Polyesters
  • polycaprolactone