A novel micro-CT-based method to monitor the morphology of blood vessels in the rabbit endplate.
The aim of this study was to develop a novel method for observing the morphology of the blood vessels in the rabbit endplate.



Twenty 6-month-old rabbits were used in this study. The blood vessels in the L5 endplate in Group A were injected with iohexol and Group B with barium sulfate. Group C was the control group with saline. To optimize the study, Group B was divided into two subgroups: Group B-1 was injected with 100% (w/v) barium sulfate and Group B-2 with 50% (w/v). After injection, the L4-L5 vertebral body was excised and the cranial endplate of L5 was scanned using a micro-CT scanner. Models of the vertebral endplate and vessels were reconstructed using the 3D reconstruction software (Mimics 16.0) by calculating a bone threshold value, and then merged these two models to create a superimposed model.



The 3D vessel models could not be created in Groups A and C, but they were clearly visualized in Group B. In the 3D model, the blood vessels extended from the subchondral bone to the endplate, and the density of the blood vessels in the area of the nucleus pulposus (NP) was higher than in the annulus fibrosus.



The results of this study suggest that the blood vessels in the rabbit endplate can be clearly observed by the method described using barium sulfate [the 50% (w/v) gave better results compared with the 100% (w/v)]. The information from the 3D vessel structure could provide essential data to help us understand the nutrient pathways within the vertebral endplate.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Affiliated Cixi Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Cixi, 315300, Ningbo, People's Republic of China.|Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuanxi Road, Wenzhou, 325027, People's Republic of China.
Hong-Ming
HM
Xu
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuanxi Road, Wenzhou, 325027, People's Republic of China.|Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou, 313000, People's Republic of China.
Yong-Li
YL
Wang
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuanxi Road, Wenzhou, 325027, People's Republic of China.
Hai-Ming
HM
Jin
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuanxi Road, Wenzhou, 325027, People's Republic of China.
Dao-Liang
DL
Xu
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuanxi Road, Wenzhou, 325027, People's Republic of China.
Jun
J
Xuan
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuanxi Road, Wenzhou, 325027, People's Republic of China.
Jiao-Xiang
JX
Chen
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuanxi Road, Wenzhou, 325027, People's Republic of China.
Amit
A
Goswami
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuanxi Road, Wenzhou, 325027, People's Republic of China.|Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Yijishan Hospital, Wuhu, 241001, People's Republic of China.
Zhou-Shan
ZS
Tao
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuanxi Road, Wenzhou, 325027, People's Republic of China.
Feng
F
Zhou
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuanxi Road, Wenzhou, 325027, People's Republic of China.
Xiao-Lei
XL
Zhang
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuanxi Road, Wenzhou, 325027, People's Republic of China. xiangyangwang@126.com.
Xiang-Yang
XY
Wang
D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000098:blood supply*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000098:blood supply*; D011817:Rabbits; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
D003287:Contrast Media
3D; Blood vessel; Micro-CT; Rabbit; Vertebral endplate