UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Assessment of the effects of different sample perfusion procedures on phase-contrast tomographic images of mouse spinal cord

Stefanutti, E; Sierra, A; Miocchi, P; Massimi, L; Brun, F; Maugeri, L; Bukreeva, I; ... Fratini, M; + view all (2018) Assessment of the effects of different sample perfusion procedures on phase-contrast tomographic images of mouse spinal cord. In: (Proceedings) International Workshop on Imaging II. IOP Publishing Ltd Green open access

[thumbnail of Stefanutti_2018_J._Inst._13_C03027.pdf]
Preview
Text
Stefanutti_2018_J._Inst._13_C03027.pdf - Published Version

Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

Synchrotron X-ray Phase Contrast micro-Tomography (SXrPCμT) is a powerful tool in the investigation of biological tissues, including the central nervous system (CNS), and it allows to simultaneously detect the vascular and neuronal network avoiding contrast agents or destructive sample preparations. However, specific sample preparation procedures aimed to optimize the achievable contrast- and signal-to-noise ratio (CNR and SNR, respectively) are required. Here we report and discuss the effects of perfusion with two different fixative agents (ethanol and paraformaldehyde) and with a widely used contrast medium (MICROFIL®) on mouse spinal cord. As a main result, we found that ethanol enhances contrast at the grey/white matter interface and increases the contrast in correspondence of vascular features and fibres, thus providing an adequate spatial resolution to visualise the vascular network at the microscale. On the other hand, ethanol is known to induce tissue dehydration, likely reducing cell dimensions below the spatial resolution limit imposed by the experimental technique. Nonetheless, neurons remain well visible using either perfused paraformaldehyde or MICROFIL® compound, as these latter media do not affect tissues with dehydration effects. Paraformaldehyde appears as the best compromise: it is not a contrast agent, like MICROFIL®, but it is less invasive than ethanol and permits to visualise well both cells and blood vessels. However, a quantitative estimation of the relative grey matter volume of each sample has led us to conclude that no significant alterations in the grey matter extension compared to the white matter occur as a consequence of the perfusion procedures tested in this study.

Type: Proceedings paper
Title: Assessment of the effects of different sample perfusion procedures on phase-contrast tomographic images of mouse spinal cord
Event: International Workshop on Imaging II
Location: Varenna, ITALY
Dates: 04 September 2017 - 08 September 2017
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1088/1748-0221/13/03/C03027
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/13/03/C03027
Language: English
Additional information: Published by IOP Publishing Ltd on behalf of Sissa Medialab. Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
Keywords: Science & Technology, Technology, Instruments & Instrumentation, Medical-image reconstruction methods and algorithms, computer-aided diagnosis, Medical-image reconstruction methods and algorithms, computer-aided software, GRAY-MATTER, COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY, WHITE, INJURY, BRAIN, NETWORKS, MODEL, QUANTIFICATION, ANGIOGENESIS, DISORDERS
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Med Phys and Biomedical Eng
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10057191
Downloads since deposit
80Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item