Optimization of High-Frequency Ultrasound Imaging to Detect Incremental Changes in Mineral Content at the Cartilage–Bone Interface Ex Vivo
(1) Background: Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the whole joint marked by cartilage–bone interface (CBI) remodeling, but methods to monitor subtle changes in mineralization are lacking. We optimized a non-destructive ultrasound imaging method to monitor incremental shifts in mineralizati...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Biomimetics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/3/160 |
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| Summary: | (1) Background: Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the whole joint marked by cartilage–bone interface (CBI) remodeling, but methods to monitor subtle changes in mineralization are lacking. We optimized a non-destructive ultrasound imaging method to monitor incremental shifts in mineralization, using brief decalcification as a mimetic of CBI remodeling. (2) Methods: We used a 35-MHz transducer to scan 3 mm diameter bovine osteochondral explants wrapped with parafilm to produce surface-directed decalcification and dedicated 3D-printed holders to maintain sample orientation. Customized MATLAB codes and a matched pair design were used for quantitative hypothesis testing. (3) Results: Optimal scan precision was obtained when the High-Frequency Ultrasound (HFUS) focal distance was trained at the CBI. HFUS cartilage thickness increased by 53 ± 21 µm or 97 ± 28 µm after three or seven hours of ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) (but not PBS), respectively, and was highly correlated with histological cartilage thickness (R = 0.98). The en face CBI backscatter pattern was irregular and shifted after the EDTA-displacement of the mineral front. Collective data suggested that the −10 dB echogenic CBI signal originated from the mineral front and varied topographically with undulating mineral thickness. (4) Conclusions: This imaging approach could be used to monitor tidemark remodeling in live explant cultures, toward identifying new treatments that inhibit tidemark advancement and slow osteoarthritis progression. |
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| ISSN: | 2313-7673 |