Three-Dimensional Microstructural Characterization of Porous Hydroxyapatite Using Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy

The characterization of porosity is crucial in the development and commercialization of ceramic bone replacement technology, since the pore size and interconnectivity play a central role in both biological function (bone ingrowth and nutrient flow) as well as mechanical properties of bone scaffolds. The ability of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to image three-dimensional (3-D) structures with large vertical depths (～2 mm) and fine vertical resolution (～1 μm) is utilized in this article to characterize the 3-D microstructures of hydroxyapatite (HA) bone scaffold specimens with porosity ranging from roughly 60–70 vol%. Various CLSM techniques are applied to image and interpret the HA pore structure, including Z -series stacking, topographic profiling, and Phi- Z scanning and contour mapping.