Bone microarchitecture in human foetuses

articleBone microarchitecture is receiving increasing attention in theassessment of the biomechanical properties of bone. While it iswell characterized in normal and pathologic human subjects,few quantitative data are available in human fetal development.In this paper, quantitative parameters of bone microarchitecturein developing human bone are reviewed from the literature andsupplemented by new data from the femoral metaphysis of hu-man fetuses. The samples were imaged using synchrotron radi-ation 3D micro-CT and processed using customized analysismethods. This technique provides 3D model independent mor-phometric parameters, anisotropy, connectivity and geometrycharacteristics, as well as information on mineralization.The morphometric parameters obtained on fetal vertebrae andfemurs evidenced a dense trabecular structure as comparedto that of young adults. The histomorphometric and the 3D mi-cro-CT analysis were consistent to show a significant in-crease of trabecular bone volume with gestational age. Tra-becular bone was found isotropic in vertebral bodies andanisotropic in femoral metaphysis, demonstrating a radialgrowth in vertebrae, and a longitudinal spreading out in longbones such as the femurs. Trabecular thickness in the maturebone of vertebral body and femoral metaphysis was around100 μm, which was in agreement with histomorphometric eval-uation. In the femoral metaphysis, three-dimensional analysisconfirmed the thickening of trabeculae with the distance tothe growth plate, and an estimated rate of thickening around 3μm/day previously obtained in histomorphometry. The 3D net-work was highly connected, and our new geometrical analysistechnique showed a strong prevalence of rod structure ascompared to the plate structure in cancellous bone

Analysis of Cone-Beam Artifacts in off-Centered Circular CT for Four Reconstruction Methods

Cone-beam (CB) acquisition is increasingly used for truly three-dimensional X-ray computerized tomography (CT). However, tomographic reconstruction from data collected along a circular trajectory with the popular Feldkamp algorithm is known to produce the so-called CB artifacts. These artifacts result from the incompleteness of the source trajectory and the resulting missing data in the Radon space increasing with the distance to the plane containing the source orbit. In the context of the development of integrated PET/CT microscanners, we introduced a novel off-centered circular CT cone-beam geometry. We proposed a generalized Feldkamp formula (α-FDK) adapted to this geometry, but reconstructions suffer from increased CB artifacts. In this paper, we evaluate and compare four different reconstruction methods for correcting CB artifacts in off-centered geometry. We consider the α-FDK algorithm, the shift-variant FBP method derived from the T-FDK, an FBP method based on the Grangeat formula, and an iterative algebraic method (SART). The results show that the low contrast artifacts can be efficiently corrected by the shift-variant method and the SART method to achieve good quality images at the expense of increased computation time, but the geometrical deformations are still not compensated for by these techniques

Introduction to 2D and 3D tomographic methods based on straight line propagation: X-ray, emission and ultrasonic tomography

This paper presents the basic principles of computerized tomography (CT), and its evolution towards three dimensional (3D ) imaging . Since the modelisation of CT reconstruction relies on the Radon transform, its definition and major properties are firs t recalled. After a brief summary on conventional 2D methods, we present the imaging principles for two modalities appropriate d to this modelisation : X-Ray and emission tomography. We describe the evolution of the instrumentation for these two techniques , and emphasize the approximations introduced by a modelisation using the Radon transform taking into account the physics o f the problem . We also describe the principles of ultrasonic tomography systems, and their major differences with the two previou s technics . At last, we formulate the general problematic of 3D image reconstruction from 2D projections . We consider four classe s of reconstruction methods corresponding to the classification chosen for the synthetic presentation of methods, accompanying thi s paper.Cet article présente les principes de base de la tomographie assistée par ordinateur, ainsi que son évolution vers le tridimen - sionnel (3D) . La modélisation mathématique du problème de reconstruction tomographique s'appuie sur la transformatio n de Radon dont la définition et quelques propriétés sont rappelées . Après un bref résumé sur les méthodes conventionnelle s 2D, nous présentons les principes physiques pour deux modalités bien appropriées à cette modélisation : la tomographie de transmission par rayons X et la tomographie d'émission par rayons ,y . Nous nous attachons à décrire l'évolution de l'instru - mentation dans ces deux techniques, ainsi que les approximations introduites par une modélisation de type Transformée de Radon par rapport à la physique du problème . Nous décrivons également les principes des systèmes de tomographie ultrasonore, et leurs différences majeures par rapport aux deux techniques précédentes . Enfin, nous reprenons la problématiqu e générale des méthodes de reconstruction 3D à partir de projections 2D . Nous faisons apparaître quatre classes correspondan t au découpage choisi pour la présentation des fiches techniques accompagnant cet article

Description of a three-dimensional deconvolution reconstruction algorithm from cone beam projection

This paper presents the discretization and the application of a 3D reconstruction method front cone beam X-ray projections . The generalized back projection theorem, established in a previous work, is the theoretical basis for the method. It allows to reduce the reconstruction problem to a 3D deconvolution problem . The proposed algorithm essentially consists in two steps : (i) computation of the discrete corrected back projection of all the cone beam projections ; (ii) deconvolution of the result . After vectorization, this algorithm has been implemented on a CDC CYBER 205 computer. A simple and comprehensive test function is proposed to evaluate the algorithm relatively to various error criteria . The first simulations show that the reconstruction results are very satisfying when the X-ray sources are located in the whole space around the object, in accordance with the theory (4 it geometry). Furthermore, even in poor acquisition conditions the algorithm seems to give a first approximation of the object which can be sufficient to study its morphological aspect .Cet article présente la discrétisation et la mise en oeuvre d'une méthode de reconstruction 3D à partir de projections coniques . Le théorème de la rétroprojection, établi dans un travail précédent, est la base théorique de la méthode. Il permet de ramener le problème de reconstruction à un problème de déconvolution 3D. L'algorithme proposé comporte essentiellement deux étapes, consistant tout d'abord à calculer une rétroprojection corrigée des projections coniques, puis à déconvoluer le résultat obtenu. Cet algorithme a été implanté sur le CYBER 205 de Control Data après avoir été complètement vectorisé . Un exemple simple de simulation et différents critères d'écarts sont proposés pour l'évaluer . Les premières simulations montrent que les résultats obtenus sont très satisfaisants si les sources sont réparties dans l'espace tout autour de l'objet (géométie 4 7t) . De plus, même dans des conditions d'acquisition assez défavorables, l'algorithme semble donner une première approximation de l'objet qui peut être suffisante pour étudier son aspect morphologique

Segmentation géométrique d'images 3D par analyse topologique de représentations compactes

La reconnaissance et la caractérisation des formes sont des questions clés de l'analyse d'image. Nous proposons ici une nouvelle méthode de segmentation géométrique d'images 3D basée sur l'analyse topologique de l'axe médian. Cette technique permet de décomposer un volume en parties de forme planaire ou tubulaire pour en extraire des paramètres géométriques quantitatifs et analyser des réseaux poreux complexes. Après l'avoir valider sur un fantôme, on applique cette méthode sur des images réelles de réseaux trabéculaires osseux afin de la comparer à une approche basée sur un squelette

Convolutional Neural Network for Material Decomposition in Spectral CT Scans

Spectral computed tomography acquires energy-resolved data that allows recovery of densities of constituents of an object. This can be achieved by decomposing the measured spectral projection into material projections, and passing these decomposed projections through a tomographic reconstruction algorithm, to get the volumetric mass density of each material. Material decomposition is a nonlinear inverse problem that has been traditionally solved using model-based material decomposition algorithms. However, the forward model is difficult to estimate in real prototypes. Moreover, the traditional regularizers used to stabilized inversions are not fully relevant in the projection domain.In this study, we propose a deep-learning method for material decomposition in the projection domain. We validate our methodology with numerical phantoms of human knees that are created from synchrotron CT scans. We consider four different scans for training, and one for validation. The measurements are corrupted by Poisson noise, assuming that at most 10 5 photons hit the detector. Compared to a regularized Gauss-Newton algorithm, the proposed deep-learning approach provides a compromise between noise and resolution, which reduces the computation time by a factor of 100

Local spatial-frequency analysis of images using Wigner-Ville distribution

Local spectrum analysis is an interesting method to extract pertinent features of an image . This paper proposes a new local spectrum analysis method allowing to accurately characterize the local spatial frequency content of an image. It is based on the use of the two-dimensional Wigner-Ville distribution (2D WVD), which permits to separately control spatial and frequential analysis resolutions. The application of this method to texture feature extraction and discrimination is illustrated, and a comparison with the classical 2D spectrogram method is also given.L'analyse spectrale locale est une méthode intéressante pour obtenir des caractéristiques pertinentes d'une image. Cet article propose une nouvelle méthode d'analyse spectrale locale permettant de caractériser de manière précise les propriétés fréquentielles locales d'une image. Cette méthode est basée sur la transformation de Wigner-Ville bidimensionnelle (TWV 2D), qui permet de contrôler, de façon souple, séparement les résolutions spatiale et fréquentielle. L'application de cette technique à la caractérisation d'images de textures est illustrée, et une comparaison de sa performance par rapport à la méthode classique de spectrogramme 2D est également montré

Biodegradation of porous calcium phosphate scaffolds in an ectopic bone formation model studied by X-ray computed microtomograph

Three types of ceramic scaffolds with different composition and structure [namely synthetic 100% hydroxyapatite (HA; Engipore), synthetic calcium phosphate multiphase biomaterial containing 67% silicon stabilized tricalcium phosphate (Si-TCP; Skelite™) and natural bone mineral derived scaffolds (Bio-oss®)] were seeded with mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and ectopically implanted for 8 and 16 weeks in immunodeficient mice. X-ray synchrotron radiation microtomography was used to derive 3D structural information on the same scaffolds both before and after implantation. Meaningful images and morphometric parameters such as scaffold and bone volume fraction, mean thickness and thickness distribution of the different phases as a function of the implantation time, were obtained. The used imaging algorithms allowed a direct comparison and registration of the 3D structure before and after implantation of the same sub-volume of a given scaffold. In this way it was possible to directly monitor the tissue engineered bone growth and the complete or partial degradation of the scaffold.Further, the detailed kinetics studies on Skelite™ scaffolds implanted for different length of times from 3 days to 24 weeks, revealed in the X-ray absorption histograms two separate peaks associated to HA and TCP. It was therefore possible to observe that the progressive degradation of the Skelite™ scaffolds was mainly due to the resorption of TCP. The different saturation times in the tissue engineered bone growth and in the TCP resorption confirmed that the bone growth was not limited the scaffold regions that were resorbed but continued in the inward direction with respect to the pore surface