Tomographic X-Ray Microscope System

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的目标是获得资金，为分子和基因组成像中心增加一台x射线“显微镜”，该中心是加州大学戴维斯分校的核心设施，为动物模型和生物标本的成像研究提供集中的基础设施和专业知识。我们建议购买Xradia microXCT-200高分辨率x射线断层扫描显微镜系统，该系统包括一个90kV微聚焦x射线源，一个4m像素CCD传感器，可选择的放大倍数从4倍到40倍的探测器光学元件，以及一个用于重建和显示大型CT数据集的工作站。该系统将用于一系列生物标本的高分辨率成像，这些生物标本来自3-D细胞培养、动物模型组织和患者活检样本，应用范围包括肿瘤和动脉粥样硬化斑块的钙化成像、骨骼和关节病变和再生疗法的成像、生物材料和支架的3-D结构和机械性能的评估，以及高密度（如金）纳米颗粒和纳米棒的分布成像。仅举几个例子。该系统的空间分辨率（10% MTF）小于1 ？m使用40X光学元件，可以成像尺寸为50毫米的标本（40X检测器为20毫米）。该系统将放置在我们的核心设施中，用于支持和帮助美国国立卫生研究院资助的不同领域的研究，如肌肉骨骼疾病、动脉粥样硬化、癌症、再生医学、生物材料、纳米诊断和纳米治疗。该系统将通过对来自患者动物模型的手术或活检标本的高分辨率、高对比度成像、工程植入物、构建物和组织的表征以及一系列治疗策略的效果，直接支持提高对疾病的理解。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this proposal is to secure funding to add an X-ray "microscope" to the Center for Molecular and Genomic Imaging, a core facility at UC Davis that provides centralized infrastructure and expertise to conduct imaging studies in animal models and biospecimens. We propose to purchase an Xradia microXCT-200 high- resolution X-ray tomography microscope system that includes a 90kV microfocus X-ray source, a 4 M pixel CCD sensor, selectable detector optics with magnifications ranging from 4X to 40X, and a workstation for reconstruction and display of the large CT datasets. The system will be used for high resolution imaging of a range of biospecimens from 3-D cell culture, animal model tissues and patient biopsy samples in applications that span imaging of calcifications in tumors and atherosclerotic plaques, imaging of bone and joint pathologies and regenerative therapies, evaluation of the 3-D structure and mechanical properties of biomaterials and scaffolds, and imaging of the distribution of high-density (e.g. gold) nanoparticles and nanorods, to name just a few. The proposed system can achieve a spatial resolution (10% MTF) of < 1 ?m using the 40X optics and can image specimens up to 50 mm in size (20 mm with 40X detector). The system will be placed in our core facility and used to support and aid NIH-funded research in diverse areas such as musculoskeletal disease, atherosclerosis, cancer, regenerative medicine, biomaterials, nanodiagnostics and nanotherapeutics. The system will directly support improved understanding of disease through high-resolution, high contrast imaging of surgical or biopsy specimens from animal models of patients, the characterization of engineered implants, constructs and tissues, and the effects of a range of therapeutic strategies. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANECE: Imaging is a powerful technology for visualizing complex 3-D biological tissues and changes in these tissues that occur through disease. The proposed X-ray tomography microscope system utilizes advanced optics and phase contrast methods to achieve unprecedented resolution (~ 1 ¿m) and high contrast images across large volumes of biological tissue without staining or sectioning, providing undistorted and highly quantitative images of tissue morphology. This allows entire biopsy specimens, or organs/tissues from animal models to be imaged, and a wide range of morphological parameters (e.g. cellularity, density, vascularity, microarchitecture) to be assessed across the entire specimen, something that cannot be done with optical techniques due to the high degree of light scatter within biological tissues. The proposed X-ray microscope will be integrated in our imaging center with existing 2D and 3D in vivo imaging systems to provide a comprehensive resource for NIH funded researchers to study animal models of disease using imaging techniques.