Fig. 3

In situ SR-CT analysis of vessel-like structures in pathogenic rib of RSKM P2523.8 at BMIT-ID beamline. (A–C) Original CT scan as shown in Fig. 1A. (A) 3D threshold rendering of the exterior of the cross sectional scan. The location of the found vascular-type structures is given by the red box. Glass beads seen outside of the sample are part of the photon homogenization technique used. (B) A single tomographic slice, zooming into the box of (A), taken from the middle of the cross section. A notable high density structure arises (tunnel-like bright pixels). The magenta oval indicates the line separating the normal bone from the callus bone. (C) 3D thickness mesh rendering of the high density structure represented by (B). Brighter areas are mineralized, while darker areas are more hollow. The red and blue arrows of (B) and (C) show corresponding points in 2D and 3D visualization. (D–G) Second CT scan as shown in Fig. 1C. (D) 3D threshold render of the second scan, showing the exposed surface. The red arrow here indicates the specific location of the structure that was probed for subsequent chemical analysis, which is the same location as the first CT scan (B, C). The part of the vessel corresponding to the green arrow of (C) has been exposed here. (E) 3D threshold render with removal of lower density voxels to show location of more found vascular-type structures. (F) 3D thickness mesh of a larger tubular structure found closer to the center of the bone, with corresponding cyan arrow from (E). (G) 3D mesh render of a structure similar in morphology to the first CT scan (C), with corresponding yellow arrow from (E).