Imaging the bone cell network with nanoscale synchrotron computed tomography
type: Dataset
description: The osteocytes are the most abundant and longest living bone cells, embedded in the bone matrix. They are interconnected with each other through dendrites, located in slender canals called canaliculi. The osteocyte lacunae, cavities in which the cells are located, together with the canaliculi form a communication network throughout the bone matrix, permitting transport of nutrients, waste and signals. These cells were firstly considered passive, but lately it has become increasingly clear their role as mechanosensory cells and orchestrators of bone remodeling. Despite recent advances in imaging techniques, none of the available methods can provide an adequate 3D assessment of the lacuno-canalicular network (LCN). The aims of this thesis were to achieve 3D imaging of the LCN with synchrotron radiation X-ray computed tomography (SR-CT) and to develop tools for 3D detection and segmentation of this cell network, leading towards automatic quantification of this structure. We demonstrate the feasibility of parallel beam SR-CT to image in 3D the LCN (voxel~300 nm). This technique can provide data on both the morphology of the cell network and the composition of the bone matrix. Compared to the other 3D imaging methods, this enables imaging of tissue covering a number of cell lacunae three orders of magnitude greater, in a simpler and faster way. This makes possible the study of sets of specimens in order to reach biomedical conclusions. Furthermore, we propose the use of divergent holotomography, to image the ultrastructure of bone tissue (voxel~60 nm). The image reconstruction provides phase maps, obtained after the application of a suitable phase retrieval algorithm. This technique permits assessment of the cell network with higher accuracy and it enables the 3D organization of collagen fibres organization in the bone matrix, to be visualized for the first time. In order to obtain quantitative parameters on the geometry of the cell network, this has to be segmented. Due…
identifier: NNT: 2012ISAL0001
issued: 2026-05-15T04:00:55.633639
language: en
modified: 2026-05-15T04:00:55.633645
contact point: Organization
  fn: CCSD
keyword: 3d-filtering
keyword: bone-matrix
keyword: bone-microarchitecture
keyword: echelle-nanometrique
keyword: femoral-bone
keyword: femur
keyword: filtrage-3d
keyword: filtrage-non-lineaire
keyword: image-reconstruction
keyword: imagerie-des-os-spongieux
keyword: imagerie-medicale
keyword: infoeu-reposemanticsdoctoralthesis
keyword: matrice-osseuse
keyword: medical-imaging
keyword: microarchitecture-osseuse
keyword: nanoscale
keyword: non-linear-filtering
keyword: reconstruction-dimage
keyword: reconstruction-tomographique
keyword: spiotherengineering-sciences-physicsother
keyword: spongious-bone-imaging
keyword: theses
keyword: tomographie
keyword: tomographie-par-rayon-x
keyword: tomography
keyword: tomography-x
landing page: https://theses.hal.science/tel-00778408

Imaging the bone cell network with nanoscale synchrotron computed tomography
type: Distribution
format: HTML
issued: 2026-05-15T04:00:55.773168
modified: 2026-05-15T04:00:55.557374
access URL: https://theses.hal.science/tel-00778408

test_moissonnage_selune
type: Agent