In vivo micro-computed tomography allows direct three-dimensional quantification of both bone formation and bone resorption parameters using time-lapsed imaging

Bone is a living tissue able to adapt its structure to external influences such as altered mechanical loading. This adaptation process is governed by two distinct cell types: bone-forming cells called osteoblasts and bone-resorbing cells called osteoclasts. It is therefore of particular interest to have quantitative access to the outcomes of bone formation and resorption separately. This article presents a non-invasive three-dimensional technique to directly extract bone formation and resorption parameters from time-lapsed in vivo micro-computed tomography scans. This includes parameters such as Mineralizing Surface (MS), Mineral Apposition Rate (MAR), and Bone Formation Rate (BFR), which were defined in accordance to the current nomenclature of dynamic histomorphometry. Due to the time-lapsed and non-destructive nature of in vivo micro-computed tomography, not only formation but also resorption can now be assessed quantitatively and time-dependent parameters Eroded Surface (ES) as well as newly defined indices Mineral Resorption Rate (MRR) and Bone Resorption Rate (BRR) are introduced. For validation purposes, dynamic formation parameters were compared to the traditional quantitative measures of dynamic histomorphometry, where MAR correlated with R = 0.68 and MS with R = 0.78 (p < 0.05). Reproducibility was assessed in 8 samples that were scanned 5 times and errors ranged from 0.9% (MRR) to 6.6% (BRR). Furthermore, the new parameters were applied to a murine in vivo loading model. A comparison of directly extracted parameters between formation and resorption within each animal revealed that in the control group, i.e., during normal remodeling, MAR was significantly lower than MRR (p < 0.01), whereas MS compared to ES was significantly higher (p < 0.0001). This implies that normal remodeling seems to take place by many small formation packets and few but large resorption volumes. After 4 weeks of mechanical loading, newly extracted trabecular BFR and MS were significantly higher (p < 0.01) in the loading compared to the control group. At the same time, ES was significantly decreased (p < 0.01). This indicates that modeling induced by mechanical loading takes place primarily by increased area, not width of formation packets. With these results, we conclude that the non-invasive direct technique is well suited to extract dynamic bone morphometry parameters and eventually gain more insight into the processes of bone adaptation not only for formation but also resorption.

Research Highlights
► Bone formation rates are determined by means of in vivo micro-computed tomography.
► New technique is non-invasive and in 3D.
► Bone resorption rates are determined.
► New technique is highly reproducible.
► Mechanical loading leads to an increase in bone formation rates and more controlled process of resorption cycles.