New Publication: Three-dimensional visualisation of the internal anatomy of the sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) forelimb using contrast-enhanced micro-computed tomography
“A three-dimensional model of the wing musculature of the sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) was built using μCT and a 3% iodine-buffered formalin solution to test the ability of the technique for visualising wing musculature and obtaining quantitative data of muscle geometry. This model allows the identification of the individual muscles comprising the avian wing and can be useful for further biomechanical analysis of flight.”
Transverse μCT images of a sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) wing (upper panel)—Columns: (A) Control . (B–F) ∼3% (w/v) iodine-buffered formalin solution after three (B), 10 (C), 15 (D), 18 (E), and 25 (F) days. Rows: (G) Corresponds to brachial area, (H) antebrachial area and (I) the manus (scale bar = 5 mm). Three-dimensional model of the wing muscles of a sparrowhawk (lower panel)—three-dimensional model of the wing muscles of a sparrowhawk reconstructed from CT images of the stained wing after 25 days in a ∼3% iodine-buffered formalin solution (superficial muscles are shown in dorsal (left) and ventral (right) view).