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Synchrotron Radiation-Based Three-Dimensional Visualization of Angioarchitectural Remodeling in Hippocampus of Epileptic Rats. Neurosci Bull 2019; 36:333-345. [PMID: 31823302 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-019-00450-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Characterizing the three-dimensional (3D) morphological alterations of microvessels under both normal and seizure conditions is crucial for a better understanding of epilepsy. However, conventional imaging techniques cannot detect microvessels on micron/sub-micron scales without angiography. In this study, synchrotron radiation (SR)-based X-ray in-line phase-contrast imaging (ILPCI) and quantitative 3D characterization were used to acquire high-resolution, high-contrast images of rat brain tissue under both normal and seizure conditions. The number of blood microvessels was markedly increased on days 1 and 14, but decreased on day 60 after seizures. The surface area, diameter distribution, mean tortuosity, and number of bifurcations and network segments also showed similar trends. These pathological changes were confirmed by histological tests. Thus, SR-based ILPCI provides systematic and detailed views of cerebrovascular anatomy at the micron level without using contrast-enhancing agents. This holds considerable promise for better diagnosis and understanding of the pathogenesis and development of epilepsy.
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Larsson JC, Vogt C, Vågberg W, Toprak MS, Dzieran J, Arsenian-Henriksson M, Hertz HM. High-spatial-resolution x-ray fluorescence tomography with spectrally matched nanoparticles. Phys Med Biol 2018; 63:164001. [PMID: 30033936 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aad51e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Present macroscopic biomedical imaging methods provide either morphology with high spatial resolution (e.g. CT) or functional/molecular information with lower resolution (e.g. PET). X-ray fluorescence (XRF) from targeted nanoparticles allows molecular or functional imaging but sensitivity has so far been insufficient resulting in low spatial resolution, despite long exposure times and high dose. In the present paper, we show that laboratory XRF tomography with metal-core nanoparticles (NPs) provides a path to functional/molecular biomedical imaging with ~100 µm resolution in living rodents. The high sensitivity and resolution rely on the combination of a high-brightness liquid-metal-jet x-ray source, pencil-beam optics, photon-counting energy-dispersive detection, and spectrally matched NPs. The method is demonstrated on mice for 3D tumor imaging via passive targeting of in-house-fabricated molybdenum NPs. Exposure times, nanoparticle dose, and radiation dose agree well with in vivo imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob C Larsson
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Inst. of Technol./Albanova, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden. Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed
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Tang R, Yan F, Yang GY, Chen KM. Phase contrast imaging of preclinical portal vein embolization with CO 2 microbubbles. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2017; 24:1260-1264. [PMID: 29091069 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577517014072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Preoperative portal vein embolization (PVE) is employed clinically to avoid postoperative liver insufficiency. Animal models are usually used to study PVE in terms of mechanisms and pathophysiological changes. PVE is formerly monitored by conventional absorption contrast imaging (ACI) with iodine contrast agent. However, the side effects induced by iodine can give rise to animal damage and death. In this study, the feasibility of using phase contrast imaging (PCI) to show PVE using homemade CO2 microbubbles in living rats has been investigated. CO2 gas was first formed from the reaction between citric acid and sodium bicarbonate. The CO2 gas was then encapsulated by egg white to fabricate CO2 microbubbles. ACI and PCI of CO2 microbubbles were performed and compared in vitro. An additional increase in contrast was detected in PCI. PCI showed that CO2 microbubbles gradually dissolved over time, and the remaining CO2 microbubbles became larger. By PCI, the CO2 microbubbles were found to have certain stability, suggesting their potential use as embolic agents. CO2 microbubbles were injected into the main portal trunk to perform PVE in living rats. PCI exploited the differences in the refractive index and facilitated clear visualization of the PVE after the injection of CO2 microbubbles. Findings from this study suggest that homemade CO2 microbubbles-based PCI is a novel modality for preclinical PVE research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongbiao Tang
- Department of Radiology, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Fuhua Yan
- Department of Radiology, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Guo Yuan Yang
- Neuroscience and Neuroengineering Center, Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Min Chen
- Department of Radiology, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China
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Larsson JC, Lundström U, Hertz HM. Characterization of scintillator-based detectors for few-ten-keV high-spatial-resolution x-ray imaging. Med Phys 2017; 43:2731-2740. [PMID: 27277020 DOI: 10.1118/1.4948687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE High-spatial-resolution x-ray imaging in the few-ten-keV range is becoming increasingly important in several applications, such as small-animal imaging and phase-contrast imaging. The detector properties critically influence the quality of such imaging. Here the authors present a quantitative comparison of scintillator-based detectors for this energy range and at high spatial frequencies. METHODS The authors determine the modulation transfer function, noise power spectrum (NPS), and detective quantum efficiency for Gadox, needle CsI, and structured CsI scintillators of different thicknesses and at different photon energies. An extended analysis of the NPS allows for direct measurements of the scintillator effective absorption efficiency and effective light yield as well as providing an alternative method to assess the underlying factors behind the detector properties. RESULTS There is a substantial difference in performance between the scintillators depending on the imaging task but in general, the CsI based scintillators perform better than the Gadox scintillators. At low energies (16 keV), a thin needle CsI scintillator has the best performance at all frequencies. At higher energies (28-38 keV), the thicker needle CsI scintillators and the structured CsI scintillator all have very good performance. The needle CsI scintillators have higher absorption efficiencies but the structured CsI scintillator has higher resolution. CONCLUSIONS The choice of scintillator is greatly dependent on the imaging task. The presented comparison and methodology will assist the imaging scientist in optimizing their high-resolution few-ten-keV imaging system for best performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob C Larsson
- Biomedical and X-ray Physics, Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology/Albanova, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Ulf Lundström
- Biomedical and X-ray Physics, Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology/Albanova, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Hans M Hertz
- Biomedical and X-ray Physics, Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology/Albanova, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
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5
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Li B, Zhang Y, Wu W, Du G, Cai L, Shi H, Chen S. Neovascularization of hepatocellular carcinoma in a nude mouse orthotopic liver cancer model: a morphological study using X-ray in-line phase-contrast imaging. BMC Cancer 2017; 17:73. [PMID: 28122521 PMCID: PMC5264465 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3073-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This study aimed to determine whether synchrotron radiation (SR)-based X-ray in-line phase-contrast imaging (IL-PCI) can be used to investigate the morphological characteristics of tumor neovascularization in a liver xenograft animal model. Methods A human hepatocellular carcinoma HCCLM3 xenograft model was established in nude mice. Xenografts were sampled each week for 4 weeks and fixed to analyze tissue characteristics and neovascularization using SR-based X-ray in-line phase contrast computed tomography (IL-XPCT) without any contrast agent. Results The effect of the energy level and object–to-detector distance on phase-contrast difference was in good agreement with the theory of IL-PCI. Boundaries between the tumor and adjacent normal tissues at week 1 were clearly observed in two-dimensional phase contrast projection imaging. A quantitative contrast difference was observed from weeks 1 to 4. Moreover, 3D image reconstruction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples showed blood vessels inside the tumor were abnormal. The smallest blood vessels measured approximately 20 μm in diameter. The tumor vascular density initially increased and then decreased gradually over time. The maximum tumor vascular density was 4.29% at week 2. Conclusion IL-XPCT successfully acquired images of neovascularization in HCC xenografts in nude mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beilei Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No.180, Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yiqiu Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No.180, Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Weizhong Wu
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Guohao Du
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201800, China
| | - Liang Cai
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No.180, Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hongcheng Shi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No.180, Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shaoliang Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No.180, Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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High-resolution short-exposure small-animal laboratory x-ray phase-contrast tomography. Sci Rep 2016; 6:39074. [PMID: 27958376 PMCID: PMC5153650 DOI: 10.1038/srep39074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
X-ray computed tomography of small animals and their organs is an essential tool in basic and preclinical biomedical research. In both phase-contrast and absorption tomography high spatial resolution and short exposure times are of key importance. However, the observable spatial resolutions and achievable exposure times are presently limited by system parameters rather than more fundamental constraints like, e.g., dose. Here we demonstrate laboratory tomography with few-ten μm spatial resolution and few-minute exposure time at an acceptable dose for small-animal imaging, both with absorption contrast and phase contrast. The method relies on a magnifying imaging scheme in combination with a high-power small-spot liquid-metal-jet electron-impact source. The tomographic imaging is demonstrated on intact mouse, phantoms and excised lungs, both healthy and with pulmonary emphysema.
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Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray Phase-Contrast Tomography Visualizes Microvasculature Changes in Mice Brains after Ischemic Injury. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:3258494. [PMID: 27563468 PMCID: PMC4983401 DOI: 10.1155/2016/3258494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Revised: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Imaging brain microvasculature is important in plasticity studies of cerebrovascular diseases. Applying contrast agents, traditional μCT and μMRI methods gain imaging contrast for vasculature. The aim of this study is to develop a synchrotron radiation X-ray inline phase-contrast tomography (SRXPCT) method for imaging the intact mouse brain (micro)vasculature in high resolution (~3.7 μm) without contrast agent. A specific preparation protocol was proposed to enhance the phase contrast of brain vasculature by using density difference over gas-tissue interface. The CT imaging system was developed and optimized to obtain 3D brain vasculature of adult male C57BL/6 mice. The SRXPCT method was further applied to investigate the microvasculature changes in mouse brains (n = 14) after 14-day reperfusion from transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). 3D reconstructions of brain microvasculature demonstrated that the branching radius ratio (post- to preinjury) of small vessels (radius < 7.4 μm) in the injury group was significantly smaller than that in the sham group (p < 0.05). This result revealed the active angiogenesis in the recovery brain after stroke. As a high-resolution and contrast-agent-free method, the SRXPCT method demonstrates higher potential in investigations of functional plasticity in cerebrovascular diseases.
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Cao Y, Yin X, Zhang J, Wu T, Li D, Lu H, Hu J. Visualization of mouse spinal cord intramedullary arteries using phase- and attenuation-contrast tomographic imaging. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2016; 23:966-974. [PMID: 27359146 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577516006482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Many spinal cord circulatory disorders present the substantial involvement of small vessel lesions. The central sulcus arteries supply nutrition to a large part of the spinal cord, and, if not detected early, lesions in the spinal cord will cause irreversible damage to the function of this organ. Thus, early detection of these small vessel lesions could potentially facilitate the effective diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. However, the detection of such small vessels is beyond the capability of current imaging techniques. In this study, an imaging method is proposed and the potential of phase-contrast imaging (PCI)- and attenuation-contrast imaging (ACI)-based synchrotron radiation for high-resolution tomography of intramedullary arteries in mouse spinal cord is validated. The three-dimensional vessel morphology, particularly that of the central sulcus arteries (CSA), detected with these two imaging models was quantitatively analyzed and compared. It was determined that both PCI- and ACI-based synchrotron radiation can be used to visualize the physiological arrangement of the entire intramedullary artery network in the mouse spinal cord in both two dimensions and three dimensions at a high-resolution scale. Additionally, the two-dimensional and three-dimensional vessel morphometric parameter measurements obtained with PCI are similar to the ACI data. Furthermore, PCI allows efficient and direct discrimination of the same branch level of the CSA without contrast agent injection and is expected to provide reliable biological information regarding the intramedullary artery. Compared with ACI, PCI might be a novel imaging method that offers a powerful imaging platform for evaluating pathological changes in small vessels and may also allow better clarification of their role in neurovascular disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Cao
- Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, 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
| | - Jiwen Zhang
- Center for Drug Delivery System, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20203, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianding Wu
- Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongzhe Li
- Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongbin Lu
- Department of Sports Medicine, Research Centre of Sports Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 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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9
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Park H, Yeom E, Lee SJ. X-ray PIV measurement of blood flow in deep vessels of a rat: An in vivo feasibility study. Sci Rep 2016; 6:19194. [PMID: 26777719 PMCID: PMC4726095 DOI: 10.1038/srep19194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
X-ray PIV measurement is a noninvasive approach to measure opaque blood flows. However, it is not easy to measure real pulsatile blood flows in the blood vessels located at deep position of the body, because the surrounding tissues significantly attenuate the contrast of X-ray images. This study investigated the effect of surrounding tissues on X-ray beam attenuation by measuring the velocity fields of blood flows in deep vessels of a live rat. The decrease in image contrast was minimized by employing biocompatible CO2 microbubbles as tracer particles. The maximum measurable velocity of blood flows in the abdominal aorta of a rat model was found through comparative examination between the PIV measurement accuracy and the level of image contrast according to the input flow rate. Furthermore, the feasibility of using X-ray PIV to accurately measure in vivo blood flows was demonstrated by determining the velocity field of blood flows in the inferior vena cava of a rat. This study may serve as a reference in conducting in vivo X-ray PIV measurements of pulsatile blood flows in animal disease models and investigating hemodynamic characteristics and circulatory vascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanwook Park
- Center for Biofluid and Biomimic Research, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 790-784, South Korea
| | - Eunseop Yeom
- Center for Biofluid and Biomimic Research, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 790-784, South Korea
| | - Sang Joon Lee
- Center for Biofluid and Biomimic Research, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 790-784, South Korea
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10
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Vågberg W, Larsson DH, Li M, Arner A, Hertz HM. X-ray phase-contrast tomography for high-spatial-resolution zebrafish muscle imaging. Sci Rep 2015; 5:16625. [PMID: 26564785 PMCID: PMC4643221 DOI: 10.1038/srep16625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Imaging of muscular structure with cellular or subcellular detail in whole-body animal models is of key importance for understanding muscular disease and assessing interventions. Classical histological methods for high-resolution imaging methods require excision, fixation and staining. Here we show that the three-dimensional muscular structure of unstained whole zebrafish can be imaged with sub-5 μm detail with X-ray phase-contrast tomography. Our method relies on a laboratory propagation-based phase-contrast system tailored for detection of low-contrast 4-6 μm subcellular myofibrils. The method is demonstrated on 20 days post fertilization zebrafish larvae and comparative histology confirms that we resolve individual myofibrils in the whole-body animal. X-ray imaging of healthy zebrafish show the expected structured muscle pattern while specimen with a dystrophin deficiency (sapje) displays an unstructured pattern, typical of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The method opens up for whole-body imaging with sub-cellular detail also of other types of soft tissue and in different animal models.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Disease Models, Animal
- Dystrophin/deficiency
- Dystrophin/genetics
- Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods
- Larva/genetics
- Larva/metabolism
- Microscopy, Confocal
- Microscopy, Phase-Contrast
- Muscles/diagnostic imaging
- Muscular Dystrophy, Animal/diagnostic imaging
- Muscular Dystrophy, Animal/genetics
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/diagnostic imaging
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/genetics
- Myofibrils/diagnostic imaging
- Radiographic Image Enhancement/instrumentation
- Radiographic Image Enhancement/methods
- Reproducibility of Results
- Tomography, X-Ray Computed/instrumentation
- Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods
- Zebrafish
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Affiliation(s)
- William Vågberg
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology/Albanova, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daniel H. Larsson
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology/Albanova, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mei Li
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anders Arner
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hans M. Hertz
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology/Albanova, Stockholm, Sweden
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11
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Tang R, Yan F, Chai WM, Huang W, Fu Y, Yang GY, Chen KM. A novel imaging tool for hepatic portal system using phase contrast technique with hydrogen peroxide-generated O₂ gas. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2015; 22:1263-1267. [PMID: 26289278 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577515010103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 05/25/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of hydrogen peroxide-generated oxygen gas-based phase contrast imaging (PCI) for visualizing mouse hepatic portal veins. The O2 gas was made from the reaction between H2O2 and catalase. The gas production was imaged by PCI in real time. The H2O2 was injected into the enteric cavity of the lower sigmoid colon to produce O2 in the submucosal venous plexus. The generated O2 gas could be finally drained into hepatic portal veins. Absorption contrast imaging (ACI) and PCI of O2-filled portal veins were performed and compared. PCI offers high resolution and real-time visualization of the O2 gas production. Compared with O2-based ACI, O2-based PCI significantly enhanced the revealing of the portal vein in vivo. It is concluded that O2-based PCI is a novel and promising imaging modality for future studies of portal venous disorders in mice models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongbiao Tang
- Department of Radiology, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Fuhua Yan
- Department of Radiology, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Min Chai
- Department of Radiology, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Radiology, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanan Fu
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201204, People's Republic of China
| | - Guo Yuan Yang
- Neuroscience and Neuroengineering Center, Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Min Chen
- Department of Radiology, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China
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Zhang M, Peng G, Sun D, Xie Y, Xia J, Long H, Hu K, Xiao B. Synchrotron radiation imaging is a powerful tool to image brain microvasculature. Med Phys 2014; 41:031907. [PMID: 24593725 DOI: 10.1118/1.4865784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Synchrotron radiation (SR) imaging is a powerful experimental tool for micrometer-scale imaging of microcirculation in vivo. This review discusses recent methodological advances and findings from morphological investigations of cerebral vascular networks during several neurovascular pathologies. In particular, it describes recent developments in SR microangiography for real-time assessment of the brain microvasculature under various pathological conditions in small animal models. It also covers studies that employed SR-based phase-contrast imaging to acquire 3D brain images and provide detailed maps of brain vasculature. In addition, a brief introduction of SR technology and current limitations of SR sources are described in this review. In the near future, SR imaging could transform into a common and informative imaging modality to resolve subtle details of cerebrovascular function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqi Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Guanyun Peng
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, People's Republic of China
| | - Danni Sun
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyuan Xie
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Xia
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyu Long
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Hu
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, People's Republic of China
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Brun E, Grandl S, Sztrókay-Gaul A, Barbone G, Mittone A, Gasilov S, Bravin A, Coan P. Breast tumor segmentation in high resolution x-ray phase contrast analyzer based computed tomography. Med Phys 2014; 41:111902. [DOI: 10.1118/1.4896124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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14
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Zanette I, Zhou T, Burvall A, Lundström U, Larsson DH, Zdora M, Thibault P, Pfeiffer F, Hertz HM. Speckle-based x-ray phase-contrast and dark-field imaging with a laboratory source. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2014; 112:253903. [PMID: 25014818 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.112.253903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2014] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
We report on the observation and application of near-field speckles with a laboratory x-ray source. The detection of speckles is possible thanks to the enhanced brilliance properties of the used liquid-metal-jet source, and opens the way to a range of new applications in laboratory-based coherent x-ray imaging. Here, we use the speckle pattern for multimodal imaging of demonstrator objects. Moreover, we introduce algorithms for phase and dark-field imaging using speckle tracking, and we show that they yield superior results with respect to existing methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Zanette
- Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - T Zhou
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden
| | - A Burvall
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden
| | - U Lundström
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden
| | - D H Larsson
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden
| | - M Zdora
- Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - P Thibault
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - F Pfeiffer
- Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - H M Hertz
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden
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15
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Lundström U, Westermark UK, Larsson DH, Burvall A, Arsenian Henriksson M, Hertz HM. X-ray phase contrast with injected gas for tumor microangiography. Phys Med Biol 2014; 59:2801-11. [PMID: 24801363 DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/59/11/2801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
We show that the microvasculature of mouse tumors can be visualized using propagation-based phase-contrast x-ray imaging with gas as the contrast agent. The large density difference over the gas-tissue interface provides high contrast, allowing the imaging of small-diameter blood vessels with relatively short exposure times and low dose using a compact liquid-metal-jet x-ray source. The method investigated is applied to tumors (E1A/Ras-transformed mouse embryonic fibroblasts) grown in mouse ears, demonstrating sub-15-µm-diameter imaging of their blood vessels. The exposure time for a 2D projection image is a few seconds and a full tomographic 3D map takes some minutes. The method relies on the strength of the vasculature to withstand the gas pressure. Given that tumor vessels are known to be more fragile than normal vessels, we investigate the tolerance of the vasculature of 12 tumors to gas injection and find that a majority withstand 200 mbar pressures, enough to fill 12-µm-diameter vessels with gas. A comparison of the elasticity of tumorous and non-tumorous vessels supports the assumption of tumor vessels being more fragile. Finally, we conclude that the method has the potential to be extended to the imaging of 15 µm vessels in thick tissue, including mouse imaging, making it of interest for, e.g., angiogenesis research.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Lundström
- Biomedical and X-Ray Physics, Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology/Albanova, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
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Zhou T, Lundström U, Thüring T, Rutishauser S, Larsson DH, Stampanoni M, David C, Hertz HM, Burvall A. Comparison of two x-ray phase-contrast imaging methods with a microfocus source. OPTICS EXPRESS 2013; 21:30183-30195. [PMID: 24514597 DOI: 10.1364/oe.21.030183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We present a comparison for high-resolution imaging with a laboratory source between grating-based (GBI) and propagation-based (PBI) x-ray phase-contrast imaging. The comparison is done through simulations and experiments using a liquid-metal-jet x-ray microfocus source. Radiation doses required for detection in projection images are simulated as a function of the diameter of a cylindrical sample. Using monochromatic radiation, simulations show a lower dose requirement for PBI for small object features and a lower dose for GBI for larger object features. Using polychromatic radiation, such as that from a laboratory microfocus source, experiments and simulations show a lower dose requirement for PBI for a large range of feature sizes. Tested on a biological sample, GBI shows higher noise levels than PBI, but its advantage of quantitative refractive index reconstruction for multi-material samples becomes apparent.
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Larsson DH, Lundström U, Westermark UK, Arsenian Henriksson M, Burvall A, Hertz HM. First application of liquid-metal-jet sources for small-animal imaging: high-resolution CT and phase-contrast tumor demarcation. Med Phys 2013; 40:021909. [PMID: 23387757 DOI: 10.1118/1.4788661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Small-animal studies require images with high spatial resolution and high contrast due to the small scale of the structures. X-ray imaging systems for small animals are often limited by the microfocus source. Here, the authors investigate the applicability of liquid-metal-jet x-ray sources for such high-resolution small-animal imaging, both in tomography based on absorption and in soft-tissue tumor imaging based on in-line phase contrast. METHODS The experimental arrangement consists of a liquid-metal-jet x-ray source, the small-animal object on a rotating stage, and an imaging detector. The source-to-object and object-to-detector distances are adjusted for the preferred contrast mechanism. Two different liquid-metal-jet sources are used, one circulating a Ga∕In∕Sn alloy and the other an In∕Ga alloy for higher penetration through thick tissue. Both sources are operated at 40-50 W electron-beam power with ∼7 μm x-ray spots, providing high spatial resolution in absorption imaging and high spatial coherence for the phase-contrast imaging. RESULTS High-resolution absorption imaging is demonstrated on mice with CT, showing 50 μm bone details in the reconstructed slices. High-resolution phase-contrast soft-tissue imaging shows clear demarcation of mm-sized tumors at much lower dose than is required in absorption. CONCLUSIONS This is the first application of liquid-metal-jet x-ray sources for whole-body small-animal x-ray imaging. In absorption, the method allows high-resolution tomographic skeletal imaging with potential for significantly shorter exposure times due to the power scalability of liquid-metal-jet sources. In phase contrast, the authors use a simple in-line arrangement to show distinct tumor demarcation of few-mm-sized tumors. This is, to their knowledge, the first small-animal tumor visualization with a laboratory phase-contrast system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel H Larsson
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
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