High-resolution 3D imaging of microvascular architecture in human glioma tissues using X-ray phase-contrast computed tomography as a potential adjunct to histopathology

Gliomas are rich in blood vessels, and the generation of tumor-associated vessels plays an important role in glioma growth and transfer. Histology can directly depict microvascular architecture in the tumor, but it just provides two-dimensional (2D) images obtained by destroying three-dimensional (3D) tissue specimens. There is a lack of high-resolution 3D imaging methods for observing the microvasculature throughout the entire specimens. X-ray phase-contrast computed tomography (PCCT) which is an emerging imaging method has demonstrated its outstanding potential in imaging soft tissues. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the potential of PCCT as an adjunct to histopathology in nondestructive and 3D visualization of the microvascular architecture in human glioma tissues. In this study, seven resected glioma tissues were scanned via PCCT and then processed histologically. The obtained PCCT data was analyzed and compared with corresponding histological results. Significant anatomical structures of the glioma such as microvessels, thrombi inside the microvessels, and areas of vascular proliferation could be clearly presented via PCCT, confirmed by the histological findings. Moreover, PCCT data also provided additional 3D information such as morphological alterations of the microvasculature, 3D distribution of the thrombi and stenosis severity of the vessels in glioma tissues, which cannot be fully analyzed in 2D histological slices. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that PCCT can offer excellent images at a near-histological level and additional valuable information in screening gliomas, without impeding further histological investigations. Thus, this technique could be potentially used as an adjunct to conventional histopathology in 3D nondestructive characterization of glioma vasculature.