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2633476 
Journal Article 
Abstract 
High resolution 3-dimensional imaging of ultrafine particles in the lung parenchyma 
Schittny, JC; Haberthuer, D; Semmler-Behnke, M; Takenaka, S; Stampanoni, M; Kreyling, WG; Tsuda, A 
2010 
Yes 
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
ISSN: 1073-449X
EISSN: 1535-4970 
181 
A3643 
English 
WOS:000208771003001 
is part of a larger document 3452678 Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society 2010 International Conference, May 14-19, 2010, New Orleans
Rationale: In order to judge the risks and chances of the deposition of ultrafine particles in the lung parenchyma a precise three-dimensional (3D) localization of the sites of deposition is very important - especially because an inhomogeneous deposition and local hot spots of very high particle concentrations are expected in the acinar tree as well as in individual alveoli.

Methods: 200 nm gold particles were administered to young adult rats by intratracheal instillation. Thirty minutes after instillation the lungs were fixed by vascular perfusion and embedded in paraffin. 3D-imaging was done using high resolution synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM).

Results: 200 nm gold particles were 3D-visualized in unstained lung tissue by combining absorption contrast (first scan, gold particles) and phase contrast [1] (second scan, unstained tissue). The uptake of the gold particles into the alveolar septa occurred so fast that 30 minutes after the exposure basically all of the particles were observed inside the tissue.

Conclusions: We achieve a very good contrast between the gold particles and the tissue using absorption contrast which enabled us to perform an automatic segmentation of the gold particles. Due to the low absorption of the tissue we had to use phase contrast for imaging of the tissue. The combination of absorption and phase contrast SRXTM imaging was necessary because none of the two kinds of contrast allowed us to image both, the tissue and the gold particles. The smallest image of the particles possessed a size of 1-2 voxels of 370 nm side length. Most likely these images represent single particles, even if we were not able to distinguish unquestionably between small clusters of 1-3 particles and single particles. We would like to apply this method to study the distribution of ultrafine particles in the lung parenchyma. 
American Thoracic Society 2010 International Conference 
New Orleans, LA 
May 14-19, 2010