Abstract
Characterization of articular cartilage morphology and composition using microcomputed tomography (microCT) techniques requires the use of contrast agents to enhance X-ray attenuation of the tissue. This chapter describes the use of an anionic iodinated contrast agent at equilibrium with articular cartilage. In this technique, negatively charged contrast agent molecules distribute themselves inversely with respect to the negatively charged proteoglycans (PGs) within the cartilage tissue (Palmer et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 103:19255–19260, 2006). This relationship allows for assessment of cartilage degradation, as areas of high X-ray attenuation have been shown to correspond to areas of depleted PGs (Palmer et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 103:19255–19260, 2006; Xie et al. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 18:65–72, 2010).
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References
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Lin, A.S.P., Salazar-Noratto, G.E., Guldberg, R.E. (2015). EPIC-μCT Imaging of Articular Cartilage. In: Westendorf, J., van Wijnen, A. (eds) Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1226. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1619-1_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1619-1_11
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Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY
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