title: Mass Density Measurement of Mineralized Tissue with Grating-Based X-Ray Phase Tomography.
abstract: Establishing the mineral content distribution in highly mineralized tissues, such as bones and teeth, is fundamental in understanding a variety of structural questions ranging from studies of the mechanical properties to improved pathological investigations. However, non-destructive, volumetric and quantitative density measurements of mineralized samples, some of which may extend several mm in size, remain challenging. Here, we demonstrate the potential of grating-based x-ray phase tomography to gain insight into the three-dimensional mass density distribution of tooth tissues in a non-destructive way and with a sensitivity of 85 mg/cm3. Density gradients of 13 - 19% over 1 - 2 mm within typical samples are detected, and local variations in density of 0.4 g/cm3 on a length scale of 0.1 mm are revealed. This method proves to be an excellent quantitative tool for investigations of subtle differences in mineral content of mineralized tissues that can change following treatment or during ageing and healing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Institute for Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany.
authors.forename: Regine
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gradl
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Institute for Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany.|Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zanette
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Institute for Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany.|The European Synchrotron, CS40220, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Maite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Yaniz
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Institute for Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dierolf
authors.affiliation: The European Synchrotron, CS40220, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rack
authors.affiliation: Julius Wolff Institute and Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zaslansky
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Institute for Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany.|Institut für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003804:Dentin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007368:Interferometry; D012031:Refractometry; D013552:Swine; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014070:Tooth / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging