Skeletal disease

Quantitative Tomography, using a VisEn imaging system together with OsteoSense fluorescence agent, enables targeted monitoring and quantification of areas of microcalcification, bone remodeling, and bone growth and resorption. Examples of applications include:
Quantification of bone lytic events upon tumor metastasis to bone and response to therapy
Characterization of bone remodeling and calcification in osteoporosis, oncology, inflammation and cardiovascular disease
Measurement of the effects of therapeutic stimulation on bone growth

In vivo imaging of bone growth

Quantitative Tomography enabled analysis of bone growth in deeper pelvic and vertebral structures than could be achieved with reflectance or X-ray imaging
Image: The same mouse was imaged in 2D reflectance and 3D tomography modes on an FMT System, 24 hours after injection with OsteoSense 680.

Bone formation in ectopic sites - correlation with micro CT analysis

New, intramuscular bone formation
In these studies bone morphogenic protein- 2 (BMP-2) used to induce bone formation in vivo. Mouse mesenchymal stem cells, engineered to express rhBMP-2 (C9 cells) were implanted into the right thigh muscle of C3H/HeN mice.
Tomographic and microCT analyses of transplantation sites show a massive formation of new bone tissue in the intramuscular ectopic site.

Images: Tomographic images on FMT System taken at 2 weeks - 24 hours after i.v. injection of OsteoSense (2 nmoles). Confirmation of bone changes by CT imaging at 3 weeks using a Desktop Cone-Beam Micro CT Scanner.
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Results: Quantitative tomographic data expressed as total amount of fluorescence (in pmoles, mean ± SEM ; n= 4-7 mice per group). Quantification of bone fluorescence within the ectopic site establishes peak bone formation at weeks 2-3. Bone and total volume measurements from micro CT data confirm the increase in bone volume associated with ectopic bone growth.
Detection and quantification of radial repair
In these studies bone morphogenic protein- 2 (BMP-2) was used to induce bone formation in vivo. Mouse mesenchymal stem cells, engineered to express rhBMP-2 (C9 cells), were implanted onto a 2.5 mm segmental defect created in the right radii of C3H/HeN mice.

Tomographic and microCT analyses of transplantation sites show formation of new bone tissue in non-union fractures sites of radius

Images: Tomographic images on FMT System taken at 3 weeks - 24 hours after i.v. injection of OsteoSense (2 nmoles). Confirmation of bone repair by CT imaging at 3 weeks using a Desktop Cone-Beam Micro CT Scanner. 

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Results: Quantitative tomographic data expressed as total amount of fluorescence (in pmoles, mean ± SEM ; n= 4-7 mice per group). Quantification of bone fluorescence within the repair site establishes peak bone repair at week 3. Bone and total volume measurements from micro CT data confirm the increase in bone volume associated with fracture repair.