STEREO-PROJECTION RADIOGRAPHY IN THE STUDY OF THE STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION OF CAT SKULL BONES

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 130  (MAY) , 487-498
Abstract
The relatively low resolution in the radiographs produced by clinical X-ray machines led to the rejection, by a number of investigators, of this machine as a method of examining the detailed structural organization of bone. In the recently developed microfocal X-ray unit a fine beam of electrons is focused onto the side of a water cooled target. Stereo-projection radiographs of specimens can be produced at magnifications of 1-100.times. and at a theoretical resolution to the diameter of the X-ray source (5-10 .mu.m). The application of stereo-projection radiology to the study of cat skulls revealed details of structure not readily visible with conventional X-ray techniques. Using 3 different methods, the shadow images of trabeculae and large vascular canals seen in the radiographs were closely correlated with the structures observed in the coronal sections and dissected regions of the cat skulls. The smallest structures recorded from the radiographs had a diameter of 60 .mu.m. The effect of the depth of bone and of overlapping trabeculae and large vascular canals on the number of osseous structures recorded in the radiographs of 5 cat skulls was assessed. Of the trabeculae and large vascular canals, 50% were no longer visible at a bone depth of 4 and 1.5 mm, respectively, and when superimposed by 12 and 2 structures, respectively.