X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography Tomograms and virtual sections of specimens can be generated at various magnifications of 2X through 40X with a spatial resolution of 10 through 0.4 microns. Imaging under loaded and wet conditions by using an in situ mechanical testing device can also be performed at various magnifications. Following acquisition, data can be processed to also evaluate morphology and volume fractions of constituents of varying mineral densities. 

Mechanical Testing In addition to micro-CT services, our facility also performs mechanical tests on a variety of samples (e.g. metals, biological tissues) using an in situ loading unit. The unit can be placed inside the micro-CT and load tests can be done in tandem with scanning. The types of mechanical tests available are: tensile, compressive, and cyclic loading. 

Image Analysis Reconstructed 3D data is saved as an image stack in the following output formats: txm, dicom, bin, or tiff. Our workstation has the following post-analysis softwares which are accessible to all users: 3D viewer, Avizo, ImageJ, Matlab. Quantitative results may also be found through image thresholding and segmentation techniques, and allows for acquiring differences in intensity (grayscale changes) or mineral density changes. Volumes of specific features can also be determined, for example the volume of a specific mineralized tissue (enamel, dentin, bone), volume of vasculature networks, volume of osteocyte/lacunae, or even soft tissue. *Note: for imaging soft tissue, an appropriate staining/contrast agent (iodine, phosphotungstic acid, bismuth) must be used. 

Image Analysis examples include:

• Segmentation of regions of different mineral densities 
• Bone volume fraction, bone thickness, bone connectivity
• Soft to hard tissue volume fraction
• In situ loading, Strain mapping, Digital volume correlation
• Visualization of 3D structure and biomechanics