Featured Research
from universities, journals, and other organizations
Mapping atherosclerotic arteries: Combined approach developed
Date:
May 23, 2014
Source:
University of Basel
Summary:
A
new method allows calcified and constricted blood vessels to be
visualized with micrometer precision, and can be used to design
containers for targeted drug delivery. Within the project, materials
scientists combined cutting-edge-imaging techniques to visualize and
quantify the constrictions caused by atherosclerosis.
Conventional
micro-tomography using intense X-rays allows for the visualization of
plaque (white) and muscle tissue (black). Here, the blood vessel walls
are invisible. More sophisticated X-ray computed tomography techniques
enable the identification of the vessel walls and other soft tissues.
The images show experimental data acquired at the beam-line BW2 (HASYLAB
at DESY, Germany).
Credit: Biomaterials Science Center, University of Basel
A
new method allows calcified and constricted blood vessels to be
visualized with micrometer precision, and can be used to design
containers for targeted drug delivery. Within the project "NO-stress,"
materials scientists from the Medical Faculty of the University of Basel
combined cutting-edge-imaging techniques to visualize and quantify the
constrictions caused by atherosclerosis.
Cardiovascular
diseases, including atherosclerosis, are associated with plaque
formation and the most prevalent cause of death worldwide. Unlike
vessels and other soft tissues, the plaque formed provides strong
contrast in X-rays, as known from bone. So far, it has therefore been
difficult or even impossible to identify soft tissues in the direct
neighborhood of calcifications using X-rays.
A team of researchers from laboratories in three European countries, led by Bert Müller (Biomaterials Science Center at University of Basel), has developed a protocol that is based on the combination of hard X-ray tomography and established histology methods, to visualize the vessels constricted by atherosclerosis. The data about the morphology of the constricted vessels is used to simulate blood flow and determine related shear stresses. The shear stress is significantly enhanced at the constrictions and forms the basis for the development of specialized nano-containers for the targeted and local delivery of vasodilation drugs.
Differentiation between soft and hard tissues
The new method combines known approaches and is not only suitable for the three-dimensional characterization of atherosclerotic blood vessels but also for any other combination of strongly and weakly X-ray absorbing species including cartilage and bone. It takes advantage of conventional X-ray absorption and, in addition, of X-ray phase contrast measurements, which are for example accessible via grating interferometry. As the phase contrast is much less dependent on the atomic number of the constituents than the absorption contrast, the soft tissues in the vicinity of hard tissues become much more easily visualized.
In summary, the authors demonstrate that strongly calcified arteries are thoroughly characterized by the combination of the non-destructive tomography measurements in X-ray absorption and phase contrast modes, and established histology techniques. The project "NO-stress" is funded within the National Research Programme NRP 62 "Smart Materials" by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
A team of researchers from laboratories in three European countries, led by Bert Müller (Biomaterials Science Center at University of Basel), has developed a protocol that is based on the combination of hard X-ray tomography and established histology methods, to visualize the vessels constricted by atherosclerosis. The data about the morphology of the constricted vessels is used to simulate blood flow and determine related shear stresses. The shear stress is significantly enhanced at the constrictions and forms the basis for the development of specialized nano-containers for the targeted and local delivery of vasodilation drugs.
Differentiation between soft and hard tissues
The new method combines known approaches and is not only suitable for the three-dimensional characterization of atherosclerotic blood vessels but also for any other combination of strongly and weakly X-ray absorbing species including cartilage and bone. It takes advantage of conventional X-ray absorption and, in addition, of X-ray phase contrast measurements, which are for example accessible via grating interferometry. As the phase contrast is much less dependent on the atomic number of the constituents than the absorption contrast, the soft tissues in the vicinity of hard tissues become much more easily visualized.
In summary, the authors demonstrate that strongly calcified arteries are thoroughly characterized by the combination of the non-destructive tomography measurements in X-ray absorption and phase contrast modes, and established histology techniques. The project "NO-stress" is funded within the National Research Programme NRP 62 "Smart Materials" by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
Story Source:
The above story is based on materials provided by University of Basel. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
The above story is based on materials provided by University of Basel. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
- Margaret N Holme, Georg Schulz, Hans Deyhle, Timm Weitkamp, Felix Beckmann, Johannes A Lobrinus, Farhad Rikhtegar, Vartan Kurtcuoglu, Irene Zanette, Till Saxer, Bert Müller. Complementary X-ray tomography techniques for histology-validated 3D imaging of soft and hard tissues using plaque-containing blood vessels as examples. Nature Protocols, 2014; 9 (6): 1401 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2014.091
Cite This Page:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment-- or suggestions, particularly of topics and places you'd like to see covered