Abstract
Postmenopausal osteoporosis results from an increase in activation frequency and an imbalance between bone formation and resorption. Osteoporosis is a skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength that predisposes an individual to an increased risk of fracture. We investigated the bones of rats with osteoporosis induced by ovariectomy. Female Sprague-Dawley rats (12 weeks old) were subjected to ovariectomy or a sham-ovariectomy operation. Images of tibial metaphysis were obtained using a micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scanner, and were subjected to subsequent analyses. Three-dimensional (3D) data were obtained by constructing sliced images along the bone axis and evaluated using an image analyzer. Histological assessment was performed to confirm the bone structure and pathological observation of the obtained image. The micro-CT results of parameter analysis showed decreased bone mass and deterioration in the structural properties critical to the mechanical strength of osteoporotic bone. In conclusion, 3D-CT imaging provides an accurate noninvasive method for directly measuring bone architecture. Micro-CT imaging of small animals allows the evaluation of bone morphology and micro-architecture in animal models, such as bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency.
