Combinatorial Method for Determining Optimum Tissue Scaffold Composition for Imaging by X-Ray Techniques

Published

April 12, 2006

Author(s)

Carl G. Simon Jr., Yanyin Yang, Shauna M. Dorsey, Gary E. Schumacher, Glenn M. Flaim, J Kohn, Sheng Lin-Gibson, Matthew Becker

Abstract

X-ray imaging techniques can be very useful for tissue engineering applications. The ability to image radiopaque medical implants in vivo with X-ray radiography enables clinicians to conveniently, inexpensively and non-invasively monitor wound healing and regeneration in situ.1,2 In addition, the internal microstructure of radiopaque implants can be observed in vitro with X-ray microcomputed tomography (microCT). However, tissue engineering scaffolds made from amorphous polymers such as PDLLA [poly(D,L-lactic acid)] or DTE [poly(desaminotyrosyl-tyrosine ethyl ester carbonate)] are essentially translucent to X-rays and thus, difficult to image with X-ray based techniques. One approach to making tissue scaffolds radiopaque is to include a radiocontrast agent. However, radiocontrast agents will affect the physicochemical properties of the scaffold which can influence its performance.It may be necessary to determine the minimum amount of contrast agent necessary for imaging by X-ray techniques. In this study we have applied a combinatorial method for screening polymeric tissue scaffolds to determine the amount of radiocontrast agent required to successfully image a scaffold by X-ray radiography and microCT.

Citation

Society for Biomaterials

Volume

1

Issue

1

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

combinatorial methods, imaging, polylactic acid, polymer scaffold, X-ray microCT

Citation

Simon, C. , Yang, Y. , Dorsey, S. , Schumacher, G. , Flaim, G. , Kohn, J. , Lin-Gibson, S. and Becker, M. (2006), Combinatorial Method for Determining Optimum Tissue Scaffold Composition for Imaging by X-Ray Techniques, Society for Biomaterials, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=852695 (Accessed January 2, 2025)