Department of Orofacial Pain and Disfunction, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Department of Medical Biology, Section Clinical Anatomy & Embryology, Amsterdam UMC location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Neuroradiology. 2024 Sep;66(9):1481-1493. doi: 10.1007/s00234-024-03413-z. Epub 2024 Jul 12.
Visualizing (micro)vascular structures remains challenging for researchers and clinicians due to limitations in traditional radiological imaging methods. Exploring the role of vascular development in craniofacial malformations in experimental settings can enhance understanding of these processes, with the effectiveness of high-resolution imaging techniques being crucial for successful research in this field. Micro-CT imaging offers 3D microstructural insights, but requires contrast-enhancing staining agents (CESAs) for visualizing (micro)-vascular tissues, known as contrast-enhanced micro-CT (CECT). As effective contrast agents are crucial for optimal visualization, this review focuses on comparative studies investigating such agents for micro-vascular tissue imaging using micro-CT. Furthermore, we demonstrate the utilization of B-Lugol solution as a promising contrast agent for acquiring high-quality micro-CT images of (micro)vascular structures in human embryonic samples.
This scoping review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Protocols. PubMed database provided relevant articles, screened initially by title and abstract. Inclusion and exclusion criteria defined outcomes of interest.
From an initial search, 273 records were identified, narrowed down to 9 articles after applying our criteria. Additionally, two articles were added through citation searching. This, a total of 11 articles were incorporated in this study.
This micro-CT contrast agent review underscores the need for tailored choices based on research goals. Both Barium sulfate and Iodine-based agents showing excellent results, providing high resolution (micro) vascular content, especially in ex-vivo specimens. However, careful consideration of protocols and tissue characteristics remains imperative for optimizing the effectiveness of micro-CT imaging for the study of cranio-facial vascular development.
由于传统放射影像学方法的局限性，可视化（微）血管结构对研究人员和临床医生来说仍然具有挑战性。在实验环境中探索血管发育在颅面畸形中的作用，可以增强对这些过程的理解，而高分辨率成像技术的有效性对于该领域的成功研究至关重要。微计算机断层扫描（Micro-CT）成像提供了 3D 微观结构的见解，但需要对比增强染色剂（CESAs）来可视化（微）血管组织，这被称为对比增强 Micro-CT（CECT）。由于有效的对比剂对于最佳可视化至关重要，因此本综述重点介绍了使用 Micro-CT 研究微血管组织成像的对比剂的比较研究。此外，我们展示了 B-Lugol 溶液作为一种有前途的对比剂，用于获取人类胚胎样本中（微）血管结构的高质量 Micro-CT 图像。
本 scoping 综述遵循系统评价和荟萃分析报告的首选报告项目。PubMed 数据库提供了相关文章，首先通过标题和摘要进行筛选。纳入和排除标准定义了感兴趣的结果。
从最初的搜索中，确定了 273 条记录，经过我们的标准筛选后，缩小到 9 篇文章。此外，通过引文搜索还添加了两篇文章。因此，共有 11 篇文章纳入本研究。
本 Micro-CT 对比剂综述强调了根据研究目标进行定制选择的必要性。硫酸钡和碘基两种试剂均显示出优异的结果，提供了高分辨率的（微）血管内容，尤其是在离体标本中。然而，对于优化 Micro-CT 成像在颅面血管发育研究中的效果，仍然需要仔细考虑方案和组织特征。
