The human olfactory bulb (OB) is a complex neural structure critical for odor processing and oneof the earliest sites of pathology in a number of neurodegenerative diseases. We used X–ray phase–contrast tomography (XPCT) to obtain high–quality 3D images of OB tissue from postmortem patients,allowing detailed visualization of soft tissue microarchitecture, including the olfactory glomeruli. Toimprove spatial analysis, we developed a computational unfolding method that transforms the curvedsurface of the OB into a 2D map. This transformation preserves anatomical relationships, allowingaccurate quantification of glomeruli by number, size, shape, and distribution. The unfoldedrepresentations of OB image support in–depth statistical analysis and are compatible with machinelearning tools for automated detection and classification of OB morphological structures. This methodprovides a powerful framework for studying olfactory function and identifying early structural changesin diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and COVID–19–associated anosmia. Byintegrating XPCT with virtual unfolding, we offer a new approach to mapping OB morphologicalfeatures with increased clarity and diagnostic accuracy.Key words: human olfactory bulb, X–ray phase contrast tomography, virtual unrolling.Citation: Bukreeva I, Cedola A, Fratini M, Junemann O. High–Resolution Mapping of theHuman Olfactory Bulb Using X–Ray Phase Contrast Tomography and Virtual Surface Unfolding.
Bukreeva et al. (Wed,) studied this question.