In this study, we employed a novel imaging modalities, the synchrotron radiation microcomputed tomography (SRμCT) to visualise the 3D morphology of the spinal cord microvasculature and successfully obtained the 3D images. Understanding the morphology of the spinal cord microvasculature in three-dimensions (3D) is limited by the lack of an effective high-resolution imaging technique. In this study, we used two novel imaging modalities, conventional x-ray microcomputed tomography (CμCT) and synchrotron radiation microcomputed tomography (SRμCT), to visualise the 3D morphology of the spinal cord microvasculature and to compare their utility in basic science research.Summary Statement
Introduction
We successfully delineated the 3D micro morphology of chondrocytes in patella-patellar tendon using IL-XPCT for the first time. Compared with conventional histology, IL-XPCT can not only provide a higher resolution imgaing but also keep the 3D integrity of the specimen. The morphology of the bone-tendon junction was complex and quite different from other organs, which result the injured bone-tendon junction repair process too slowly. To study the micro morphology of the bone-tendon junction in 3D may have a great significant value to revealing the repair mechanisms of this pathological process and accelerating injured bone-tendon junction repair. However, it was hindered by the convention methods such as histologic section. In our study, a novel imaging tool, synchrotron radiation based in-line x-ray phase contrast imaging (IL-XPCT) was used to research the 3D micro morphology of the bone-tendon junction.Summary Statement
Introduction
