Human femoral bone, AFM

Labour and birth

A Victorian child's shoe and leg caliper in leather and steel

Medieval human mandible (lower jaw bone)

Beetle leg tip, microphotograph

Osteocyte in cortical bone, SEM

X-ray of a knee joint printed on coated aluminium, artwork

Complete skeleton of a flamingo (Phoenicopteridae). Flamingos are tall wading birds with long, delicate legs and downturned bills. They also have long, curved necks which are made up of multiple vertebrae as seen here. The flamingo is 62 cm from ground to shoulder.

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Title of Image: 'Beneath the Surface'. 

Cortical bone mapping of hip from computed tomography (CT).


This image depicts a novel image analysis technique called 'cortical bone mapping'. This technique can measure the thickness of cortical bone (the dense outer shell-like layer) at many thousands of points around the hip from clinical CT scans, plotting the results as a colour wash on a 3D model here viewed from the front. The following colour scale corresponds with these approximate cortical bone measurements: red 0.0 mm; orange 1.2 mm; yellow 2.4 mm; green 3.6 mm; blue 4.5 mm; purple 5 mm+.



These measurements can be used to test whether individuals are at risk of a hip fracture if the bone is too thin, or if they might be developing osteoarthritis if too thick. Using a mesh in this case to display results rather than a more usual surface representation reveals the complex framework that is the basis for 3D sampling of the underlying CT imaging data.

Cortical bone mapping of hip from computed tomography (CT)

Complete skeleton of a Marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer or Leptoptilos crumeniferus) standing on one leg. Marabou storks are large wading birds which scavenge for food, often dead and decaying animal flesh (carrion). They have large, oversized beaks adapted for this. The Marabou stalk is 90 cm from ground to shoulder.

Complete skeleton of a marabou stork

3D rendered studies of cadaver hind limbs of a euthanized 22 year-old male elephant from the Dallas Zoo, Texas, and sent to Texas A+M University College of Veterinary Medicine for CT (computed tomography) imaging. The models detail bone degeneration of the stifle (knee) and hock (ankle) joints, possibly due to osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease or arthrosis. 



563 CT images at 2 millimetres slice thickness were utilised for this series. These 2D images were converted into 3D representations using tissue segmentation based on tissue density, resulting in Stereolithography (.STL) 3D models of the skin and brain, cardiovascular system and skeletal system. The models were then textured and rendered to produce these images. 


The left model measures 102.45 cm height x 38.66 cm length x 21.03 cm width.

The right model measures 117.74 cm height x 45.95 cm length x 30.95 cm width.

3D reconstructed elephant hind limbs

Complete skeleton of a Harris' Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus). The Harris' hawk is a medium-sized bird of prey that breeds in the United States and South America. These raptors are unusual in that they hunt in packs or family groups. The Harris hawk wingspan (in articulated position) is 60 cm.

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Images

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Cortical bone mapping of hip from computed tomography (CT)

Complete skeleton of a marabou stork

3D reconstructed elephant hind limbs

Complete skeleton of a Harris' hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)

3D reconstructed elephant hind limbs

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Wellcome uses cookies.

Support

Images

Works

Cortical bone mapping of hip from computed tomography (CT)

Complete skeleton of a marabou stork

3D reconstructed elephant hind limbs

Complete skeleton of a Harris' hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)

3D reconstructed elephant hind limbs

Wellcome Collection

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