Analysing high resolution lung microCT datasets

Historically researchers apply time consuming step serial sectioning and subsequent staining and imaging using light microscopy to analyse the lung morphometry. The data obtained using histology is limited to 2D and, as the pathology is often patchy, the results can be biased and incomplete due to heterogeneous pathological phenotypes. Obtaining an overall status of the entire lung is crucial for reliable and complete data. For instance, when screening the lung for metastasis: these can easily be missed when only a few cross sections are made.
In the method note “MN096_Analysing high resolution lung microCT datasets” a detailed step by step protocol describes how to perform structural analysis of the lung.
SkyScan software CTAn allows the automatic 3D structure thickness and structure separation analysis from high resolution scans. Structure thickness provides an insight in the distribution of the wall thickness of the airways and / or vasculature of the lungs. In addition, structure separation results in an output of the distribution of the airway diameters, similar as the mean chord length used in histo-pathological analysis. Both types of analysis also allow the possibility to visualize the results in 3D using the SkyScan CTVox volume rendering software.

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