Micro- and nano-CT for the study of bone ultrastructure

Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT)-a version of X-ray CT operating at high spatial resolution-has had a considerable success for the investigation of trabecular bone micro-architecture. Currently, there is a lot of interest in exploiting CT techniques at even higher spatial resolutions to assess bone tissue at the cellular scale. After recalling the basic principles of micro-CT, we review the different existing system, based on either standard X-ray tubes or synchrotron sources. Then, we present recent applications of micro- and nano-CT for the analysis of osteocyte lacunae and the lacunar-canalicular network. We also address the question of the quantification of bone ultrastructure to go beyond the sole visualization.