Intricate, Shareable, and Inexpensive: 3D Anatomy and the Integration of Disparate Visualization Techniques with diceCT Imaging

Abstract

Diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography (diceCT) is a relatively new soft-tissue X-ray imaging tool that is changing the way anatomists document, interpret, and distribute the most compelling anatomy of their study systems. As a contrast agent, iodine differentially binds to the lipids and carbohydrates that are naturally present within metazoan tissues, rendering them visible to X-ray imaging. As a result, diceCT provides the familiar tissue-level differentiation of magnetic resonance imaging—exposing an array of epithelia, fatty structures, glandular tissues, muscle fascicles, and neural features—but at the spectacular resolution and lower costs of nano- and micro-scale CT. Over the last decade, a small, but rapidly growing, community of anatomists has showcased the broad potential for applying diceCT to developmental, functional, and evolutionary questions as well as highlighting its use for building pedagogical tools. Recent advances, including aligning other anatomical visualization modalities such as standard histology, immunohistochemistry, and positron emission tomography into 3D diceCT models, provides opportunities to synthesize principles of gross-, tissue-, and cellular-level organization and physiology in powerful new ways. Thusly combined, diceCT is now realizing its potential to become a “hub” around which additional analytical techniques can be integrated, providing for new insights emerging from multiple levels of organization. This presentation discusses the rise and growing popularity of diceCT and related contrast-enhanced imaging techniques, how a culture of collaboration catapulted its success, and what potential new horizons lay in store with the network effects of its further adoption. Support or Funding Information Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, the American Museum of Natural History, and the National Science Foundation (NSF EAGER 1450850, NSF DEB 1457180, NSF MRI 1725925, and NSF DEB 1754659 to PMG and colleagues) 3D diceCT snake head at 20 microns resolution, sectioned in frontal view and illustrating soft-tissue details in 2D (top left), with isolated brain adjacent in 3D (gray matter semi-transparent, white matter opaque) (top right). The intricate details and broad utility of diceCT are exemplified here with a diversity of 3D vertebrate brain models from lower left to lower right: fish, amphibian, squamate reptile, bird, and mammal (not to scale). Staining and imaging by N.J. Kley and P. M. Gignac. This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.