Application of 3D synchrotron radiation microtomography to the study of bone architecture for a mice model of osteoporosis

3D synchrotron radiation microtomography was used to investigate bone architecture in order to study the genetic influence of a model of osteoporosis. For this purpose, two strains of mice with different skeletal characteristics C3H/HeJ (C3H) and C57BL/6J (B6), were submitted to a model of bone loss by hind limb unloading produced by tail-suspension. Three groups of mice were constituted for each strain: basal control, attached non-suspended control, and tail-suspended. The distal metaphyses of the femur of each mouse was imaged using 3D synchrotron radiation microtomography at the ESRF (ID19) with a 6.65 μm resolution. A 3D ROI containing the trabecular bone of the secondary spongiosa above the growth cartilage was automatically selected within each reconstructed volume. Then, 3D morphological and topological parameters quantifying the 3D bone architecture were computed. Results show that the two strains present significant differences in bone architecture, in their responses to immobilization. In particular, strain B6, having lower BV/TV and thinner trabeculae than strain C3H, loses bone when suspended, while strain C3H does not