Title: Low Dose Micro CT for Preclinical Studies

Abstract: Computed Tomography (CT) is widely used as a diagnostic tool due to its ability to acquire three-dimensional structures while preserving great bone-soft tissue contrast. Motivated by these contrast properties, it is instructive to use high-resolution CT imaging (Micro CT) in preclinical osteoporosis research to resolve bone structures in mice. Especially in vivo Micro CT imaging of mouse tibia bones is interesting for understanding osteoporosis and developing a medication [1]. However, radiation dose and image quality are strongly connected. A significant amount of radiation must be deposited in the imaged object to acquire the desired contrast, which can harm the irradiated tissue. To quantify the tissue-specific dose, we present a Monte Carlo simulation-based dose estimation of a Mouse leg phantom, representing a setting emulating an in vivo acquisition on our scanner. This tool will be used in the future to optimize acquisition parameters and make sure the imaged mouse is not harmed.

[1] A. Grüneboom, et al. “Next-generation imaging of the skeletal system and its blood supply,” Nature Reviews Rheumatology (2019). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41584-019-0274-y