Region of Interest (ROI) Compute Volume in Bilayer Titanium and Polycaprolactone Scaffolds used for Osteochondral Regeneration: A CT Study in Sheep Model

¹Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University of Tirana, 1025 Tirana, Albania

²Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari “ALDO MORO”, 70010 Bari, Italy;

³Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy.

^*Corresponding author; E-mail: tgoga@ubt.edu.al

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Abstract

Osteochondral defects, involving damage to both articular cartilage and subchondral bone, present significant challenges due to their limited spontaneous healing capacity and the risk of progression to osteoarthritis. Biomaterial scaffolds play a crucial role in tissue engineering by providing three-dimensional frameworks that support cell attachment and direct the formation of new tissue, with or without the incorporation of growth factors and biological cells. This study evaluated the regenerative potential of bilayer porous scaffolds composed of polycaprolactone (PCL) and titanium–polycaprolactone (TiPCL) in a sheep model, with the sample size of 8 sheep per each group. Using computed tomography (CT) imaging and region-of-interest (ROI) analysis, we quantitatively assessed volumetric and densitometric parameters over a 12-month period at four time points: immediately post-implantation (T0), and at 3 (T3), 9 (T9), and 12 (T12) months. The TiPCL group demonstrated significantly higher maximum (3685 – 4000 HU) and mean (1280 – 1472 HU) values, greater standard deviation (889 – 932 HU), and increased total HU across most time points compared to both the PCL and control (CNTR) groups, indicating enhanced mineralization and structural heterogeneity. In contrast, the PCL group exhibited moderate increases in densitometric parameters, while the CNTR group showed minimal changes, suggesting limited spontaneous healing. These findings underscore the superior osteogenic capacity of TiPCL scaffolds, highlighting their potential in promoting effective bone regeneration in osteochondral defects.

Keywords: Region of Interest; Osteochondral defect; Bilayer scaffolds, Titanium, Polycaprolactone.