Microtomographic analysis of biological tissues

计算机断层扫描（CT）是一种用于三维结构可视化的无创技术。层析切片是由旋转扫描获得的一系列投影图像重建而成的。x射线显微方法在CT分析中的应用使生物样品的三维微观结构可视化。我们用高原子序数探针染色测定了人大脑皮层的三维细胞和亚细胞结构。所获得的结构表明，神经网络和毛细血管结构被可视化为x射线吸收系数的三维分布。以毛细管微结构为模板，制备毛细管血管树脂模型。这些结果表明，x射线显微断层扫描是一种潜在的可视化人体组织结构的方法。

Computed tomography (CT) is a noninvasive technique for visualizing three-dimensional structures. Tomographic slices are reconstructed from a series of projection images acquired by a rotational scan. The application of x-ray microscopic approaches to CT analysis has led to the visualization of the three-dimensional microstructures of biological samples. We determined three-dimensional cellular and subcellular structure of human cerebral cortex stained with high atomic-number probes. The obtained structure indicated that the neuronal networks and capillary vessel architectures were visualized as the three-dimensional distribution of x-ray absorption coefficients. The capillary microstructures were used as a template to fabricate a resin model of capillary blood vessels. These results indicated that x-ray microtomography is a potential method of visualizing human tissue structures.