In-vivo micro-CT scanner
Osteoporosis has been linked to ageing and estrogen deficiency (postmenopausal).It is reflected in the spatial and temporal changes of the bone architecture and in subsequent changes in bone strength as a consequence of ageing or estrogen deficiency. However, architecture and strength data are very difficult to measure and so in most studies researchers and clinicians use the more easily detectable bone mineral density (BMD). The strength of a bone is related to the amount of bone, its geometry (architecture) and the matrix tissue quality. The measurement of these parameters cannot be performed in vivo. In the context of MIAB project, with the aim to quantify changes of density, geometry and architecture in bone over time, a micro-CT scanner has been developed. The scanner was developed to monitor the architectural changes in the bones of animals as a function of ageing, oestrogen deficiency and drug treatment. The innovative micro-CT scanner is a high-resolution low-dose X-ray scanner for in-vivo 3D-reconstruction with detailed detectability up to 9 microns inside small laboratory animals. The use of computer models enables precise monitoring of the architecture and its changes during the life span of an animal, with and without interventions relative to disease or treatment. The system allows non-invasive reconstruction of any cross section through the animal body. The image-rendering program allows the creation of realistic 3D images and the virtual manipulation of the object by rotation, shift, zoom and flight around or inside the object. Furthermore, its physiological monitoring subsystem measures and displays the animal's heart rate, breathing and temperature in real time. The development of the micro-CT scanner allowed the detection of small local changes in the bones of living rats over time, by simply overlaying two datasets, with equal orientations. In this way, new and interesting scientific results with respect to etiology and osteoporosis treatment can be obtained, rendering this system not only a useful research tool but also a potential commercial opportunity.
