X-Ray-Based 3D Histopathology of the Kidney Using Cryogenic Contrast-Enhanced MicroCT

Figure 1

Comparison of three different CESA solutions for conventional CECT imaging of kidney. (a) Transverse CECT slices through the middle of the kidney showing the different layers of the kidney including the cortex (C), outer medulla (OM), inner medulla (IM), and papillae (P). A zoom image of the cortex (white rectangle) is shown below, with the blue arrows indicating stained blood inside the vasculature. The highly attenuating adipose tissue at the hilum caused by the B-Lugol staining is indicated by the red arrow. Image histograms were windowed based on their dynamic range. Hence, images are not displayed as normalized grey values in-between different datasets. (b, c) Bar graphs showing the (b) normalized grey values (NGVs) of the kidney layers and the (c) difference in NGVs between neighboring layers for the different staining solutions. (d–f) The kidney volume changes due to the staining process. Bar graphs showing the (d) volume of the kidneys prior to and after staining and the (e) relative volume changes, for the different staining groups. Volume rendering of the same kidney prior to (red) and after staining (blue) with Lugol PBS (f). The bars in the bar graphs represent the mean, with individual data points also indicated by the dots. The error bars indicate the standard deviation in (b)–(d) and the 95% confidence interval in (e). For each kidney layer, unpaired one-way analysis of variance, followed by a two-sided Tukey’s test, was conducted in (b) and (c) to compare the different staining solutions. Two-sided paired -tests were conducted to compare groups (before and after staining) in the bar graphs of (d). Significant values () have been indicated in the bar graphs.

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