Voxel size and measures of individual resorption cavities in three-dimensional images of cancellous bone.

Cavities formed by osteoclasts on the surface of cancellous bone during bone remodeling (resorption cavities) are believed to act as stress risers and impair cancellous bone strength and stiffness. Although resorption cavities are readily detected as eroded surfaces in histology sections, identification of resorption cavities in three-dimensional images of cancellous bone has been rare. Here we use sub-micrometer resolution images of rat lumbar vertebral cancellous bone obtained through serial milling (n=5) to determine how measures of the number and surface area of resorption cavities are influenced by image resolution.