title: Characterization of mouse spinal cord vascular network by means of synchrotron radiation X-ray phase contrast tomography.
abstract: High resolution Synchrotron-based X-ray Phase Contrast Tomography (XPCT) allows the simultaneous detection of three dimensional neuronal and vascular networks without using contrast agents or invasive casting preparation. We show and discuss the different features observed in reconstructed XPCT volumes of the ex vivo mouse spinal cord in the lumbo-sacral region, including motor neurons and blood vessels. We report the application of an intensity-based segmentation method to detect and quantitatively characterize the modification in the vascular networks in terms of reduction in experimental visibility. In particular, we apply our approach to the case of the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), i.e. human multiple sclerosis animal model.
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Nanotecnologia, Rome Unit, I-00195 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: lorenzo.massimi@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Massimi
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Nanotecnologia, Rome Unit, I-00195 Rome, Italy; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, 00179 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fratini
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Nanotecnologia, Rome Unit, I-00195 Rome, Italy; P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskii pr., 53 Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: Inna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bukreeva
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Nanotecnologia, Rome Unit, I-00195 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.affiliation: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, F-38043 Grenoble, Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mittone
authors.affiliation: Institute of Crystallography-CNR, Monterotondo, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Campi
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova & AUO San Martino - IST Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Largo R. Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Spanò
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova & AUO San Martino - IST Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Largo R. Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mastrogiacomo
authors.affiliation: University of Genova DINOGMI Largo Daneo, 3 IT-16132 Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicole Kerlero
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: de Rosbo
authors.affiliation: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, F-38043 Grenoble, Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bravin
authors.affiliation: University of Genova DINOGMI Largo Daneo, 3 IT-16132 Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uccelli
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Nanotecnologia, Rome Unit, I-00195 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cedola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D051379:Mice; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply*; D017356:Synchrotrons; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation*
keywords: Spinal cord vascular network; Vascular segmentation; X-ray phase contrast tomography