TAULANT GOGA1*, ERINDA LIKA1, BLEDAR GOXHA1
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1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University of Tirana, 1025 Tirana, Albania;
Abstract Osteochondral defects represent a significant clinical challenge due to the limited regenerative capacity of articular cartilage and the complex interaction between cartilage and subchondral bone. The present study aimed to evaluate osteochondral regeneration using computed tomography (CT), based three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and quantitative analysis of Hounsfield Unit (HU) values within regions of interest (ROI) following implantation of different biomaterial scaffolds in a sheep model. A total of 24 CT images of the knee joint in sheep were analyzed three months after surgical intervention. Four study groups were included: control (CNTR), Bilayer Wollastonite– Collagen (BWS), Honeycomb Hydroxyapatite–Wollastonite (HWS), and Honeycomb Hydroxyapatite– Magnesium–Collagen (HMG). Volumetric and densitometric parameters, including volume, minimum, maximum, mean and standard deviation (SD), were extracted from 3D ROI reconstructions. Statistical analysis was performed using non-parametric methods to identify significant differences between groups. The results demonstrated that the HMG (749.65 HU) and HWS (694,11 HU) groups exhibited higher HU values, indicating increased mineralization and improved tissue organization compared to the BWS (403.96 HU) and CNTR (326.02 HU) groups. The HMG group showed the highest mean HU values, suggesting superior osteogenic potential. Significant differences were observed mainly in the Max, SD, and Vol parameters, highlighting variations in tissue density and structural heterogeneity. In contrast, no significant differences were found for minimum and mean HU values across groups. CT-based 3D reconstruction and HU analysis provide a reliable, non-invasive approach for assessing osteochondral regeneration. Keywords: Osteochondral defect; Scaffolds, Bilayer, Honeycomb. |