Department of Biochemistry, Rush University Medical Center, 1735 W. Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Clin Anat. 2010 Jul;23(5):530-8. doi: 10.1002/ca.20993.
The loss of articular cartilage characteristic of osteoarthritis can only be diagnosed by joint space narrowing when conventional radiography is used. This is due to the lack of X-ray contrast of soft tissues. Whereas conventional radiography harnesses the X-ray attenuation properties of tissues, Diffraction Enhanced Imaging (DEI), a novel radiographic technique, allows the visualization of soft tissues simultaneous with calcified tissues by virtue of its ability to not only harness X-ray attenuation but also the X-ray refraction from tissue boundaries. Previously, DEI was dependent upon synchrotron X-rays, but more recently, the development of nonsynchrotron DEI units has been explored. These developments serve to elaborate the full potential of radiography. Here, we tested the potential of an in-laboratory DEI system, called Diffraction-Enhanced X-ray Imaging (DEXI), to render images of articular cartilage displaying varying degrees of degradation, ex vivo. DEXI allowed visualization of even early stages of cartilage degeneration such as surface fibrillation. This may be of eventual clinical significance for the diagnosis of early stages of degeneration, or at the very least, to visualize soft tissue degeneration simultaneous with bone changes.
当使用传统射线照相时，只有当关节间隙变窄时才能诊断出骨关节炎的特征性关节软骨丧失。这是由于软组织缺乏 X 射线对比度。传统射线照相利用组织的 X 射线衰减特性，而衍射增强成像（DEI）是一种新型射线照相技术，由于其不仅能够利用 X 射线衰减，还能够利用组织边界的 X 射线折射，因此可以同时显示钙化组织和软组织。以前，DEI 依赖于同步加速器 X 射线，但最近，已经探索了开发非同步加速器 DEI 装置。这些发展有助于充分发挥射线照相的潜力。在这里，我们测试了一种名为衍射增强 X 射线成像（DEXI）的实验室内 DEI 系统显示不同程度退化的关节软骨的潜力，离体。DEXI 允许观察到软骨退化的早期阶段，如表面起皱。这对于诊断早期退化阶段，或者至少与骨骼变化同时观察软组织退化，最终可能具有临床意义。
