Unwrapping microcomputed tomographic images for measuring cortical osteolytic lesions in the 5T2 murine model of myeloma treated by bisphosphonate

•We have written a new software for unwrapping 2D microCT sections of tubular bones.•We examined and quantified cortical bone perforations induced by myeloma.•Two different bisphosphonates were used as countermeasures.•Zoledronic acid was more potent on cortical perforations than pamidronate.•Unwrapping microCT images is the only available method for measuring cortical porosity induced by the tumor allowing determination of the number of perforations and their size. Multiple myeloma is due to the proliferation of malignant plasma cells which increase the number of osteoclasts leading to trabecular and cortical bone osteolysis. The 5T2MM murine model reproduces the human disease and microcomputed tomography is a precise tool to investigate bone loss. Bisphosphonates (zoledronic acid or pamidronate) are used in preventing osteolysis. However, loss of cortical bone in not possible to quantify by histomorphometry on histological sections or microCT images. Osteolysis was studied in mice grafted with the 5THL subline to see if one drug was more active after 10 weeks. Mice were distributed into 4 groups: control, untreated, treated with pamidronate or with zoledronic acid. The left femurs were embedded undecalcified and sectioned at 7μm. The right tibias and femurs were analyzed by microCT and trabecular morphometric parameters were obtained. Cortical bone osteolysis was analyzed by developing a new algorithm to unwrap microCT sections of the cortices, allowing measurement of the number of perforations, porosity and mean perforation area. The bisphosphonates had no significant effect on the tumor growth as evidence by the absence of effect on the M-protein level. Cortical perforations were evidenced on histological sections and their number seemed to be reduced by both bisphosphonates. MicroCT was used to quantify the trabecular bone: a bone loss was evidenced in the untreated myeloma group and both bisphosphonates appeared equal to preserve trabecular mass. However, the number and size of cortical perforations cannot be determined on 3D models. Unwrapping microCT images provided flat images allowing a precise determination of cortical perforations. Pamidronate did not reduce the number and size of cortical perforations but significantly reduced porosity. Zoledronic acid appeared significantly superior and considerably reduced all parameters. Unwrapping microCT image is a new method allowing the measurement of cortical perforations in bone malignancies, a parame