Micro-computed tomography is a high-resolution cross-sectional imaging technique that enables non destructive 2D and 3D structural analyses in the µm range. Qualitative and quantitative 2D and 3D histomorphometric examinations of the bone are the best established and most widespread.

On the XCT II, examinations of the extremities of patients or high-resolution sectional images of objects with a diameter of up to 139 mm can be offered.

With the increasing improvement of image analysis methods and the development of suitable contrast agents, it has recently become possible to carry out high-resolution soft tissue examinations (muscle and fat cross-sections, parenchymal organs, blood vessels, tumours and metastases) in mice and rats as in-vivo progression studies in addition to bone.

The image data can be exported to all relevant file formats (in particular DICOM and TIFF) for further processing or analysis using additional software. For in vivo studies on mice, an anaesthesia unit is available for easily controllable isoflurane anaesthesia with simultaneous physiological monitoring.

A powerful workstation for further computationally intensive image analysis and image processing, including large amounts of high-resolution and ultra-high-resolution image data with powerful programs such as ImageJ, Analyze, Amira, Dragonfly is available, as is software for μFEA (Scanco Medical) finite element analysis.

Range of services:

• Qualitative and quantitative 2D and 3D structural and density analyses of trabecular bone (see Eckstein et al. 2007, Lochmüller et al. 2008)
  
• Evaluation of rheumatoid bone changes in patients
  
• Fracture healing modelling in patients
  
• Bone quality measurement in patients
  
• Automatic differentiation of cortical and trabecular bone in rodents and patients
  
• Life load simulation of specimens up to 7kN
  
• Midshaft analysis of long tubular bones in rodents and patients
  
• Callus quantification for fracture healing models in rodents and patients
  
• Visualization and quantification of new bone formation in defect healing models in rodents
  
• Visualization and quantification of abdominal subcutaneous and visceral fat mass in mice
  
• High-resolution 3D analysis of "total body composition” in mice (bone mass, fat mass, lean mass) analogous to mouse DXA (where only 2D analysis with significantly lower resolution is possible)
  
• Visualization and quantitative analysis of limb cross-sections (bones, muscles, fat, skin)
  
• Visualization and quantification of soft tissue calcifications of internal organs, blood vessels and arterial vascular plaques
  
• 3D visualization and quantification of bone-implant contact surfaces
  
• In vivo and ex vivo imaging of parenchymal organs, blood vessels, tumours and metastases (after contrast agent application), if necessary also as in vivo progression studies
  
• Visualization and structural analyses of the lung in mice (see Recheis et al. 2005)
  
• Spatial imaging and measurement of complex internal three-dimensional structures, e.g. cochlea and auditory canal (see Schnabl et al. 2012)
  
• Non-destructive material and sample testing, e.g. also as part of quality control
  
• Further image analyses and image processing, e.g. for presentations or publications
  
• μ-Finite element analyses μFEA on bone samples
  
• Development of AI-supported diagnostics
  
• Development of targeted quantitative analytics for material sciences