title: CT Imaging Biomarkers of Bone Damage Induced by Environmental Level of Cadmium Exposure in Male Rats.
abstract: Cadmium (Cd) can induce bone loss and osteoporosis. Histologic methods have shown that Cd can induce microarchitecture change of the trabecular bone. The aim of this study is to evaluate the imaging biomarkers of osteoporosis induced by Cd using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups that were exposed to Cd via drinking water at concentrations of 0, 2, 10, and 50 mg/L for 3 months. Before sacrifice, micro-CT scanning was performed on the proximal tibia. Three-dimensional images were analyzed by using commercial software to measure apparent bone mineral density (ABMD), tissue bone mineral density (TBMD), bone volume/total volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), and structural model index (SMI) as imaging biomarkers. Histologic analyses were performed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Goldner's trichrome stain. Exposure to Cd resulted in a marked decrease of ABMD, BV/TV, and Tb.N and an increase of Tb.Sp and SMI compared with control, especially for those treated with 50 mg Cd/L (p < 0.05). Decreased Tb.N and increased Tb.Sp compared to that of control were also observed in histologic findings. The micro-CT imaging is a promising tool for assessing the bone damage induced by Cd, and Tb.N, Tb.Sp, and SMI may be the potential sensitive imaging biomarkers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, China.
authors.forename: Lirong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou, 310013, China.
authors.forename: Yizhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou, 310013, China.
authors.forename: Weihong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou, 310013, China.
authors.forename: Yuandong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China.
authors.forename: Zhongqiu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou, 310013, China. xlwen001@sina.com.
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002104:Cadmium
keywords: Bone; Cadmium; Imaging biomarker; Micro-computed tomography