Lab Anim Res.  2010 Sep;26(3):315-318.

Morphometric Analysis of Tibial Bone in Three Strains of Mice Using Micro-computed Tomography

• Ahn BS
• Kim JS
• Lee CG
• Yang M
• Moon C
• Kim JC
• Jung U
• Kim SH

Abstract

This study investigated the trabecular and cortical bone microarchitecture of tibia in 14-week-old C3H/HeN, C57BL/6J and ICR mice using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Defined volumes of interest were scanned at a resolution of 17 micrometer (isotropic). The X-ray tube was set at photon energy of 50 kV, current of 200 microA, exposure time 1.2 sec, and a 0.5 mm-thick aluminium filter. For quantification of bone mineral density (BMD), the bone samples were scanned by micro-CT together with 2 calibration phantoms. The image slices were reconstructed using 3-dimensional CT analyzer software. C3H/HeN mice showed significantly higher levels of bone volume fraction, trabecular number and BMD, and lower levels of trabecular separation, structure model index and degree of anisotropy compared to C57BL/6J or ICR mice in trabecular bone area. So the C3H/HeN mouse appeared to be a good model animal for the study on the changes of trabecular bone with high trabecular bone mass.

Keyword

Micro-computed tomography; trabecular bone; microarchitecture; mouse strain

MeSH Terms

Animals
Anisotropy
Bone Density
Calibration
Mice
Mice, Inbred ICR
Tibia

Figure

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  Figure 1. Micro-CT images of the tibia of 14-week-old C3H/HeN mice. Cross sectional view (A), vertical view (B) and reconstructed three-dimensional image (C) are represented.

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