Development of a synchrotron based non-invasive three-dimensional imaging method for soft tissue engineering in vivo studies

简介：***在组织工程（TE）中，生物医学成像技术在生物材料、支架、细胞和工程组织的表征中发挥着越来越重要的作用。尽管传统的成像技术，如光学显微镜、电子显微镜等，在体外研究中得到了广泛的应用，但由于缺乏体内成像技术，揭示生物材料与再生组织在体内的相互作用仍然具有挑战性。TE的进展需要在成像技术方面进行一些创新，这些技术能够实现三维（3D）和延时体内可视化，并对TE支架进行非侵入性定量分析。******目标：***我的研究计划的长期目标是推进基于同步加速器（SR）的x射线成像用于TE和其他生物医学应用的技术和实践基础。这项NSERC博士资助的研究在未来5年的短期目标是开发一种系统的三维成像方法，用于软组织工程的非侵入性体内研究，具体目标有三个：(1)开发一种新型的基于SR传播的成像-螺旋计算机断层扫描（PBI-SCT）系统，用于软组织和水凝胶支架的非侵入性体外成像，并对系统进行优化，以达到最佳的空间和对比度分辨率；(2)开发成像系统的配套数据处理方法，对这些图像数据进行处理，量化再生组织和支架的三维结构；(3)进一步优化成像系统，使其在体内成像应用中具有尽可能低的辐射剂量，同时在TE体内应用中保持尽可能高的空间和对比度分辨率和定量成像能力。******影响：***该项目有几个广泛的影响，将对生物医学科学和社会产生重要的好处。该项目的成功完成将使PBI-SCT成为表征工程组织3D结构的高效工具，并将对TE领域产生变革性影响。TE研究的加速将对人类健康产生重大影响，因为它将为治疗由疾病、创伤或先天性缺陷引起的缺陷提供新的治疗方法。这项研究也将涉及研究生的培训，以满足对生物医学成像领域高素质人才日益增长的需求。*****

INTRODUCTION: ***In tissue engineering (TE), biomedical imaging techniques play an increasingly essential role in the characterization of biomaterials, scaffolds, cells, and engineered tissues. Although conventional imaging techniques, such as light microscopy, electron microscopy, and etc., are widely used in in vitro studies, it is still challenging to reveal the interactions between biomaterials and regenerative tissues in vivo due to the lack of in vivo imaging techniques. Progress in TE requires a number of innovations in imaging techniques which are capable of allowing three-dimensional (3D) and time-lapse in vivo visualization and a non-invasive, quantitative analysis of TE scaffolds.******OBJECTIVES: ***The long-term objective of my research program is to advance the technical and practical basis of synchrotron-based (SR) X-ray imaging for TE and other biomedical applications. The short-term goal for this NSERC DG-funded research in the next 5 years is to develop a systematic 3D imaging method for non-invasive in vivo studies of soft tissue engineering with three specific objectives: (1) develop a novel SR propagation based imaging - spiral computed tomography (PBI-SCT) system for non-invasive ex vivo imaging of soft tissue and hydrogel scaffolds and optimize the system to achieve the best spatial and contrast resolution; (2) develop a supporting data processing method for the imaging system to process those image data and quantify the 3D structure of regrowth tissues and scaffolds; and (3) further optimize the imaging system to have the lowest possible radiation dose for in vivo imaging applications, while maintaining the highest possible spatial and contrast resolution with quantitative imaging capabilities for TE in vivo applications.******IMPACT: ***There are several broad impacts of the project that will yield important benefits to both biomedical science and society. The successful completion of this project will establish the PBI-SCT as a highly effective tool for characterizing the 3D structure of engineered tissues and will have a transformative impact on the field to TE. The acceleration of TE research will have significant impact on human health by leading to new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of defects resulting from disease, trauma or congenital defects. The research will also involve training of graduate students to meet the increasing demand for highly qualified personnel in biomedical imaging.*****