Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 29, 2026
Use of Micro X-ray Computed Tomography with Phosphotungstic Acid Preparation to Visualize Human Fibromuscular Tissue
Published on: September 5, 2019
Cartilage and soft tissue imaging using X-rays: propagation-based phase-contrast computed tomography of the human
Annie Horng1, Emmanuel Brun, Alberto Mittone
1From the *Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Germany; †European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France; ‡Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Garching, Germany; §Phelma, Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble, Grenoble, France; and ∥Institute of Anatomy, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.
Objectives:
This study evaluates high-resolution tomographic x-ray phase-contrast imaging in whole human knee joints for the depiction of soft tissue with emphasis on hyaline cartilage. The method is compared with conventional computed tomography (CT), synchrotron radiation absorption-based CT, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Material And Methods:
After approval of the institutional review board, 2 cadaveric human knees were examined at an synchrotron institution using a monochromatic x-ray beam of 60 keV, a detector with a 90-mm field of view, and a pixel size of 46 × 46 μm. Images of phase-contrast imaging CT were reconstructed with the filtered back projection algorithm and the equally sloped tomography method. Image quality and tissue contrast were evaluated and compared in all modalities and with histology.
Results:
Phase-contrast imaging provides visualization of altered cartilage regions invisible in absorption CT with simultaneous high detail of the underlying bony abnormalities. The delineation of surface changes is similar to 3-T MRI using cartilage-dedicated sequences. Phase-contrast imaging CT presents soft tissue contrast surpassing that of conventional CT with a clear discrimination of ligamentous, muscular, neural, and vascular structures. In addition, phase-contrast imaging images show cartilage and meniscal calcifications that are not perceptible on conventional CT or on MRI.
Conclusions:
Phase-contrast imaging CT may facilitate a more complete evaluation of the human knee joint by providing concurrent comprehensive information about cartilage, the underlying subchondral bone, and their changes in osteoarthritic conditions.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:10Computed Tomography
The technique was invented in the 1970s and is based on the principle that as X-rays pass through the body, they are absorbed or reflected at different levels. In the technique, a patient lies on a motorized platform while a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanner rotates...
01:14Imaging Studies I: CT and MRI
Description of the Procedures
Computed Tomography (CT) scan:
Computed Tomography (CT) scans use X-ray technology to generate detailed images of bones, organs, and tissues. During the scan, the patient lies on a moving table...
01:24X-ray Imaging
01:27Imaging Studies III: Computed Tomography
01:17Ultrasonography
During an ultrasonography procedure, a handheld device called...
01:20Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System III: X-Ray
Definition and Purpose
An X-ray, or radiograph, is a non-invasive method that uses ionizing radiation to take images of internal structures. It is mainly used in cardiac imaging to examine the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels, aiming to identify abnormalities in the heart's size, shape, and position, such as heart failure, congenital defects, and vascular...