3D angioarchitecture changes after spinal cord injury in rats using synchrotron radiation phase-contrast tomography.

STUDY DESIGN

A basic experiment study.

OBJECTIVES

An understanding of the three-dimensional (3D) angioarchitecture changes that occur after SCI will improve our knowledge of the pathogenesis of SCI and aid in the development of valuable therapeutic strategies to improve its poor outcomes. Our aim was to visualize the normal and traumatized spinal angioarchitecture in 3D using a high-resolution synchrotron radiation phase-contrast tomography (SR-PCT) and evaluate its diagnostic capability.

SETTING

SCI Center of Xiangya Hospital of Central South University in China.

METHODS

SR-PCT was used as novel high-resolution imaging tool to detect 3D morphological alterations in spinal cord microvasculature after injury.

RESULTS

In a rat model, the morphology of the microvasculature on 2D digital slices was matched with histological findings in both the normal and injured spinal cord. 3D angioarchitecture changes after SCI were successfully obtained via SR-PCT without the use of a contrast agent. Quantitative analysis on 3D images of the injured spinal cord revealed a significant decrease in the number and volume of vascular networks. This was especially relevant to vessels with a diameter <50 μm.

CONCLUSION

The 3D local blood supply to the spinal cord was severely disrupted after the acute violent injury. Our results indicate that the use of SR-PCT may improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of SCI and provide a new approach to the morphological investigation of neurovascular diseases in preclinical research.