Open AccessHigh-resolution 3D visualization of ductular proliferation of bile duct ligation-induced liver fibrosis in rats using x-ray phase contrast computed tomography
Author(s) -
Lili Qin,
Xinyan Zhao,
Jianbo Jian,
Yuqing Zhao,
Mengyu Sun
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
scientific reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.24
H-Index - 213
ISSN - 2045-2322
DOI - 10.1038/s41598-017-03993-2
Subject(s) - phase contrast microscopy , fibrosis , visualization , liver fibrosis , tomography , computed tomography , contrast (vision) , bile duct , radiology , ligation , pathology , medicine , phase contrast imaging , nuclear medicine , computer science , data mining , artificial intelligence , physics , optics
X-ray phase-contrast computed tomography (PCCT) can provide excellent image contrast for soft tissues with small density differences, and it is particularly appropriate for three-dimensional (3D) visualization of accurate microstructures inside biological samples. In this study, the morphological structures of proliferative bile ductules (BDs) were visualized without contrast agents via PCCT with liver fibrosis samples induced by bile duct ligation (BDL) in rats. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham operation group, 2-week and 6-week post-BDL groups. All livers were removed after euthanasia for a subsequent imaging. The verification of the ductular structures captured by PCCT was achieved by a careful head-to-head comparison with their corresponding histological images. Our experimental results demonstrated that PCCT images corresponded very well to the proliferative BDs shown by histological staining using cytokeratin 19 (CK19). Furthermore, the 3D density of proliferative BDs increased with the progression of liver fibrosis. In addition, PCCT accurately revealed the architecture of proliferative BDs in a 3D fashion, including the ductular ramification, the elongation and tortuosity of the branches, and the corrugations of the luminal duct surface. Thus, the high-resolution PCCT technique can improve our understanding of the characteristics of ductular proliferation from a new 3D perspective.