title: 3D angioarchitecture changes after spinal cord injury in rats using synchrotron radiation phase-contrast tomography.
abstract: METHODS
  A basic experiment study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  An understanding of the three-dimensional (3D) angioarchitecture changes that occur after SCI will improve our knowledge of the pathogenesis of SCI and aid in the development of valuable therapeutic strategies to improve its poor outcomes. Our aim was to visualize the normal and traumatized spinal angioarchitecture in 3D using a high-resolution synchrotron radiation phase-contrast tomography (SR-PCT) and evaluate its diagnostic capability.
  
  
  METHODS
  SCI Center of Xiangya Hospital of Central South University in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  SR-PCT was used as novel high-resolution imaging tool to detect 3D morphological alterations in spinal cord microvasculature after injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In a rat model, the morphology of the microvasculature on 2D digital slices was matched with histological findings in both the normal and injured spinal cord. 3D angioarchitecture changes after SCI were successfully obtained via SR-PCT without the use of a contrast agent. Quantitative analysis on 3D images of the injured spinal cord revealed a significant decrease in the number and volume of vascular networks. This was especially relevant to vessels with a diameter <50 μm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 3D local blood supply to the spinal cord was severely disrupted after the acute violent injury. Our results indicate that the use of SR-PCT may improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of SCI and provide a new approach to the morphological investigation of neurovascular diseases in preclinical research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, Research Centre of Sports Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017356:Synchrotrons; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D018396:Mucin-1
references.citation: Behav Brain Res. 2012 Jun 15;232(1):165-73
references.pmid: 22510382
references.citation: Biophys J. 1999 Jan;76(1 Pt 1):98-102
references.pmid: 9876126
references.citation: Phys Ther. 2000 Jul;80(7):673-87
references.pmid: 10869130
references.citation: Microsc Res Tech. 2008 Jul;71(7):551-6
references.pmid: 18393302
references.citation: Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2001 Sep;281(3):H1015-25
references.pmid: 11514266
references.citation: PLoS One. 2013 Sep 09;8(9):e73513
references.pmid: 24039969
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2012 Jul 16;61(4):1336-46
references.pmid: 22450300
references.citation: J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2009 Aug;29(8):1429-43
references.pmid: 19436317
references.citation: J Neurosci Methods. 2012 Feb 15;204(1):150-8
references.pmid: 22101144
references.citation: Phys Med Biol. 2008 Oct 21;53(20):5735-43
references.pmid: 18824782
references.citation: Neurosurgery. 1993 Aug;33(2):277-83; discussion 283-4
references.pmid: 8367051
references.citation: Neurosurgery. 1993 Aug;33(2):285-91; discussion 292
references.pmid: 8367052
references.citation: Kidney Int. 2009 May;75(9):945-51
references.pmid: 19242500
references.citation: AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1991 Apr;156(4):825-32
references.pmid: 1825900
references.citation: Phys Med Biol. 2013 Jan 7;58(1):R1-35
references.pmid: 23220766
references.citation: PLoS One. 2013 May 21;8(5):e63552
references.pmid: 23704918
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 2002 Apr 15;445(4):308-24
references.pmid: 11920709
references.citation: Transl Stroke Res. 2011 Dec;2(4):556-74
references.pmid: 24323683
references.citation: Methods. 2010 Jan;50(1):2-13
references.pmid: 19706326
references.citation: Exp Neurol. 2002 Jan;173(1):63-76
references.pmid: 11771939
references.citation: Phys Med Biol. 1998 Oct;43(10):2845-52
references.pmid: 9814522
references.citation: Phys Med Biol. 2009 May 7;54(9):2747-53
references.pmid: 19369710
references.citation: Med Phys. 2014 Jul;41(7):070701
references.pmid: 24989369
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2009 Nov 18;29(46):14553-70
references.pmid: 19923289