X-ray micro-tomography for investigations of brain tissues on cellular level

Khimchenko, Anna, Schulz, Georg, Deyhle, Hans, Thalmann, Peter, Zanette, Irene, Zdora, Marie Christine, Bikis, Christos, Hipp, Alexander, Hieber, Simone E., Schweighauser, Gabriel, Hench, Jürgen and Müller, Bert (2016) X-ray micro-tomography for investigations of brain tissues on cellular level. Wang, Ge, Stock, Stuart R. and Muller, Bert (eds.) In Developments in X-ray tomography X. vol. 9967, SPIE. 11 pp . (doi:10.1117/12.2237554).

Abstract

X-ray imaging in absorption contrast mode is well established for hard tissue visualization. However, performance for lower density materials is limited due to a reduced contrast. Our aim is three-dimensional (3D) characterization of micro-morphology of human brain tissues down to (sub-)cellular resolution within a laboratory environment. Using the laboratory-based microtomography (μCT) system nanotom® m (GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbH, Wunstorf, Germany) and synchrotron radiation at the Diamond-Manchester Imaging Branchline I13-2 (Diamond Light Source, Didcot, UK), we have acquired 3D data with a resolution down to 0.45 μm for visualization of a human cerebellum specimen down to cellular level. We have shown that all selected modalities, namely laboratory-based absorption contrast micro-tomography (LBμCT), synchrotron radiation based in-line single distance phase contrast tomography (SDPR) and synchrotron radiation based single-grating interferometry (GI), can reach cellular resolution for tissue samples with a size in the mm-range. The results are discussed qualitatively in comparison to optical microscopy of haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained sections. As phase contrast yields to a better data quality for soft tissues and in order to overcome restrictions of limited beamline access for phase contrast measurements, we have equipped the μCT system nanotom® m with a double-grating phase contrast set-up. Preliminary experimental results of a knee sample consisting of a bony part and a cartilage demonstrate that phase contrast data exhibits better quality compared to absorption contrast. Currently, the set-up is under adjustment. It is expected that cellular resolution would also be achieved. The questions arise (1) what would be the quality gain of laboratory-based phase contrast in comparison to laboratory-based absorption contrast tomography and (2) could laboratory-based phase contrast data provide comparable results to synchrotron radiation based phase contrast data.

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