New and Innovative Technologies: Infrared Imaging

• Introduction
• Instrumentation
• Publications
• Fee Schedule
• Contact Information

Introduction

The FTIR Imaging Core has a Spectrum Spotlight FTIR imaging system. This technology utilizes PerkinElmer’s patented Dual Mode Detector (DMD). DMD provides significant performance advances compared to Infrared array detectors (64x64) previously used in this core. The Spotlight is capable of fast continuous collecting variable image size with spatial resolution of 6.25 and 25um and single-point IR microscopy. Wavelengths down to 720cm-1 can be imaged, allowing analyses of carbonate substitutions for phosphate in mineralized specimens. A full suite of powerful software tools is available. No probe molecule is required. It is non-destructive, thus results may be readily compared and contrasted against histology and histomorphometric data obtained on the very same section.

Human Iliac Crest Biopsy
Cortical Bone

Mineral spatial distribution

Infrared imaging can provide quantitative and qualitative information on the amount and nature of mineral and matrix present (corresponding to ash-weight and porosity measurements), mineral crystallinity (crystallite size),  relative amount of collagen crosslinks, orientation of collagen fibers, collagen integrity, collagen glycosylation, proteoglycans, lipids, protein secondary structure, and DNA/RNA. We have applied this technique to a variety of normal and diseased tissues including: bone, dentin, enamel, cartilage, meniscus, tendon, skin, blood vessels, and osteoblast and chondrocyte cell cultures. Materials such as polyethylene, implant devices and graft materials (osteoinduction vs osteoconduction; ossification vs calcification, comparing and contrasting tissue generated by the graft material to the host tissue), and tissue-engineered constructs have also been evaluated.

Collagen spatial distribution

Infrared imaging may be applied to the evaluation of human and animal tissues in a variety of diseases such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, osteogenesis imperfecta, osteopetrosis, atherosclerosis, and diabetes, and to the evaluation of various therapeutic protocols  for these diseases. It can also be utilized in studies of protein adsorption and cellular/bacterial anchoring onto surfaces (biomineralization mechanisms, osteoinduction, pellicle and calculus formation, contact lenses), as well as dental tissues (dental caries, dentin, dentin bonding agents).

Infrared Images of Articular Cartilage

Instrumentation

Publications

1. Garimella R, Bi X, Anderson HC, Camacho NP.  Nature of phosphate substrate as a major determinant of mineral type formed in matrix vesicle-mediated in vitro mineralization: An FTIR imaging study.  Bone. 2006 Feb 2; [Epub ahead of print]
   
   
2. Faibish D, Gomes A, Boivin G, Binderman I, Boskey A.  Infrared imaging of calcified tissue in bone biopsies from adults with osteomalacia. Bone. 2005 Jan;36(1):6-12.
   
   
3. Kim M, Bi X, Horton, WE, Spencer RG, Camacho NP.  Fourier Transform Infrared Imaging Spectroscopic (FT-IRIS) Analysis of Tissue Engineered Cartilage:  Histologic and Biochemical Correlations.  J Biomed Opt. 2005 10(3):031105.
   
   
4. Atti E, Boskey AL, Canalis E.  Overexpression of IGF-Binding Protein 5 Alters Mineral and Matrix Properties in Mouse Femora: An Infrared Imaging Study. Calcif Tissue Int. 2005;76:187-193
   
   
5. Bi X, Li G, Doty SB, Camacho NP.  A Novel Method for Determination of Collagen Orientation in Cartilage by Fourier Transform Infrared Imaging Spectroscopy (FT-IRIS). Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 2005 13(12):1050-8.
   
   
6. Boskey AL, Moore DJ, Amling M, Canalis E, Delany AM.  Infrared analysis of the mineral and matrix in bones of osteonectin-null mice and their wildtype controls.  J Bone Miner Res. 2003 Jun;18(6):1005-11.

Fee Schedule

NIH Funded Users
Instrument: $50/hour
Data Analysis by Core: $50/hour

Non-NIH Funded Academic Users
Instrument: $75/hour
Data Analysis by Core: $75/hour

Computer usage for Data Analysis by Core User is free of charge.

Instrument and Data Analysis Training: $100/hour

Contact Information

Note: Publications that include data generated using the services of the Imaging Core must acknowledge support through NIH AR046121.

Director
Adele Boskey, PhD
Phone: 212.606.1453
email: boskeya@hss.edu

Support Staff
Mila Spevak, IR Imaging Core Technician
Phone: 212.606.1431
Fax: 212.774.7877
email: spevakm@hss.edu