A review of in situ synchrotron micro- and nanoCT setups for bone, biomaterials, and biological tissues

This review examines current in situ synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography (SR microCT) and nanoCT methodologies for the study of bone, biological tissues, and biomaterials. Synchrotron radiation offers high photon flux and coherence, enabling phase-contrast imaging and monochromatic beams that outperform conventional systems in spatial and temporal resolution. We categorized experimental setups based on the type of stimulus applied: mechanical stress (including compression, pulling, torsion, and nanoindentation) and chemical perturbations (such as hydration and corrosion monitoring). We describe how specialized environmental chambers reproduce physiological conditions to observe real time microstructural evolution. The paper highlights advanced post-processing pipelines, specifically Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for quantifying internal 3D strain and damage progression. The review concludes that while these techniques provide unprecedented quantitative insights into structure function relationships, challenges remain in device integration and maintaining sample integrity during radiation. The transition to 4th generation synchrotron sources is identified as a pivotal advancement, enabling high speed 4D imaging to capture rapid dynamic processes. This comprehensive review identifies current research gaps and proposes future directions for the field.