Synchrotron phase-contrast microtomography reveals the impact of degeneration on the 3D structure of human articular cartilage
Authors' conclusion
Synchrotron based phase-contrast microtomography provides fully three-dimensional (3D) data and allows for clear visualization of articular cartilage degeneration, e.g. fibrillation and cell clustering.
Study context
- Population
- Human knee articular cartilage from deceased donors without known OA and from patients undergoing total knee replacement for advanced OA
- Participants
- 49 vs 4
- Comparison
- Donor cartilage without known OA vs cartilage from patients undergoing total knee replacement for advanced OA; microtomography vs Safranin-O histopathology (OARSI grades)
- Donorsn = 49reference
- Advanced OAn = 4
- Outcome
- Cell and tissue properties on phase-contrast microtomography
Methodological detailsex vivo imaging, synchrotron x-ray phase-contrast microtomography, comparison with OARSI histological grading, Imaged at 2.75 µm voxel size; chondrocytes segmented by adaptive thresholding; segmentation validated with 0.65 µm voxel size tomographs of two donors
- Ex vivo imaging
- Synchrotron x-ray phase-contrast microtomography
- Comparison with OARSI histological grading
- Imaged at 2.75 µm voxel size; chondrocytes segmented by adaptive thresholding; segmentation validated with 0.65 µm voxel size tomographs of two donors
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Images show chondrocytes and degenerative features such as cell clustering and fibrillation
- Consistent chondrocyte segmentation achievable; separation of clustered cells limited by resolution
- Cell density, cell angle and cell shape show consistent profiles along cartilage depth and depth-dependent associations with OARSI grade
Original publication
Synchrotron phase-contrast microtomography reveals the impact of degeneration on the 3D structure of human articular cartilage. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. Published 22 April 2026. doi:10.
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