A robust methodology for the quantitative assessment of the rat jawbone microstructure

Abstract

A standardized approach for imaging the bones of the rodent jaw enables consistent collection of accurate structural data across specimens. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is a widely used and reliable technique for visualizing skeletal structure, but its performance and its reproducibility is lower in the more heterogeneous bone that forms the upper and lower jawbones. To address this need, researchers led by Katleen Vandamme of the University of Leuven in Belgium have devised a protocol for the quantitative micro-CT analysis of rat jawbones. They identified multiple regions of interest in each bone that can be readily compared, and which are most likely to be structurally affected over the course of an experimental intervention. This protocol broadens the applicability of micro-CT for the analysis of rodent anatomy, and the authors propose that their approach should be similarly extensible to other species.

Keywords

bone microarchitecture / jawbone / methodology / micro-computed tomography / rat

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