{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,4]],"date-time":"2026-08-04T20:00:30Z","timestamp":1785873630915,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,31]],"date-time":"2025-10-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1761868800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003977","name":"Israel Science Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["1822\/12"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1822\/12"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003977","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Accurate diagnosis of oral soft tissue lesions is critical for effective treatment, yet conventional histopathological examination, the gold standard, faces limitations. These include two-dimensional (2D) visualization and malorientation, which can obscure critical diagnostic features, like epithelial-connective tissue interfaces. Micro-computed tomography (\u00b5CT) offers a non-destructive, high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) imaging alternative to address these challenges. Still, its use for soft tissue visualization is limited. We tested a method with specific radio-opaque staining and \u00b5CT scanning settings to visualize oral soft tissue biopsies as a proof of concept.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n Biopsies from 12 patients with different oral mucosa lesions were stained with Lugol\u2019s iodine, scanned at 3\u00b5m resolution with 70kV energy, and the resulting volumes were compared to histopathological sections by specialists in oral radiology and oral pathology.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \u00b5CT produced 2D images with tissue architecture comparable to hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained sections, distinguishing epithelium, connective tissue, and keratin, while 3D reconstructions revealed topographic details, such as ulceration depth and vascular patterns, unattainable in histopathology.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n These findings highlight \u00b5CT potential as a complementary diagnostic tool, enhancing topographic rendering while preserving tissue integrity. Standardized protocols and broader validation, particularly for precancerous and malignant lesions, are essential for clinical adoption, promising improved diagnostic accuracy in oral pathology.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0335602","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,31]],"date-time":"2025-10-31T17:28:56Z","timestamp":1761931736000},"page":"e0335602","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Micro-Computed Tomography as a complementary tool for histopathological diagnosis of oral soft tissue lesions \u2013 Proof of 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