Neutron microtomography to investigate the bone-implant interface—comparison with histological analysis

Abstract Bone properties and especially its microstructure around implants are crucial to evaluate the osseointegration of prostheses in orthopaedic, maxillofacial dental surgeries. Given intrinsic heterogeneous nature bone microstructure, an ideal probing tool understand quantify formation must be spatially resolved. X-ray imaging has often been employed, but is limited presence metallic implants, where severe artifacts generally arise from high attenuation metals x-rays. Neutron tomography recently proposed as a promising technique study bone-implant interfaces, thanks lower interaction with metals. The aim this assess potential neutron for characterisation tissue vicinity implant. A standardised implant chamber was implanted rabbit bone. Four specimens were imaged subsequently compared non-decalcified histology stain soft mineralised tissues, used here ground-truth reference. An intensity-based image registration procedure performed place 12 histological slices within corresponding 3D volume. Significant correlations ( p < 0.01) obtained between two modalities contact BIC ) ratio R = 0.77) content inside 0.89). results indicate that can reliably detected by tomography. However, found overestimated imaging, which may explained sensitivity non-mineralised revealed staining. This highlights suitability analysis interface. Future work will focus on further distinguishing tissues tissue, could aided adoption contrast agents.