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Author Spotlight: An Economic and Efficient Method for Quantitative Evaluation of Bone Microarchitecture in a Murine Osteoporosis Model
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MicroCT for Scanning and Analysis of Mouse Bones
Yung Kim1, Michael D Brodt1, Simon Y Tang1
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Research Center, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|November 16, 2020
Summary
This chapter details bone Micro-Computed Tomography (microCT) scanning and analysis methods. It focuses on assessing 3D bone morphology in mouse femur specimens using microCT, a gold-standard technique.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Orthopedics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Micro-Computed Tomography (microCT) is a powerful non-destructive imaging technique.
- It provides high-resolution (1-100 µm) 3D visualization of bone microstructure.
- microCT is widely recognized as the gold-standard for small animal bone morphology assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive guide to microCT scanning and analysis of bone.
- To detail the methodology for evaluating 3D bone morphology in post-mortem mouse femur specimens.
- To offer insights applicable to various laboratory microCT systems.
Main Methods:
- Detailed protocols for bone microCT scanning.
- Image acquisition parameters and data processing steps.
- Quantitative analysis of bone structural and micro-structural parameters.
Main Results:
- Demonstration of accurate assessment of bone structure, such as cortical bone area (Ct.Ar).
- Precise measurement of bone micro-structure, including trabecular bone volume fraction (Tb.BV/TV).
- Validation of microCT for detailed morphological analysis of mouse femurs.
Conclusions:
- MicroCT is an efficient and accurate method for 3D bone morphology analysis in small animals.
- Standardized methods ensure reliable assessment of bone structural and micro-structural properties.
- The presented techniques are broadly applicable to laboratory microCT systems for bone research.
