In vivo high-resolution synchrotron radiation imaging of collagen-induced arthritis in a rodent model.

In vivo microstructures of the affected feet of collagen-induced arthritic (CIA) mice were examined using a high-resolution synchrotron radiation (SR) X-ray refraction technique with a polychromatic beam issued from a bending magnet. The CIA models were obtained from six-week-old DBA/1J mice that were immunized with bovine type II collagen and grouped as grades 0-3 according to a clinical scoring for the severity of arthritis. An X-ray shadow of a specimen was converted into a visual image on the surface of a CdWO(4) scintillator that was magnified using a microscopic objective lens before being captured with a digital charge-coupled-device camera.