Molecular Imaging Core Resources
Facilities
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Click HereLaboratory: The UVa Molecular Imaging Core (UVaMIC) Lab has approximately 2000 sq ft in the Sheridan G. Snyder Translational Research Building and another 1000 sq ft in the nearby Medical Research (MR4) Building at the University of Virginia.
Clinical: N.A.
Animal: All animal handling for this project will be carried out either in the vivarium at the Snyder Building or MR4. These vivaria are fully accredited for handling both small and large animals.
Computer: The UVaMIC has an assortment of computers to run the various image acquisition and image processing programs used at the UVaMIC.
Office: Adequate office space is provided for all key personnel in both the Snyder Building and MR4.
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Click HereMajor Equipment
with broadband capabilities running software version VB17. The 7T ClinScan (Bruker/Siemens) state of the art small animal MR scanner was purchased using $2M from the NIH-NCRR (S10 RR019911, SS Berr PI) in April 2007. The ClinScan has a Siemens Avanto console, and Bruker gradients (600 mT.m-1 maximum strength, 6000 T.m-1.s-1 riserate). The system has 8 receiver channels for phased array imaging. Software ports directly between the human and ClinScan Siemens MRIs.
We have just received a $2M NIH High-End Instrumentation grant (1S10OD025024-01 Berr, SS, PI) for a small-animal 9.4T MRI for biomedical research which will replace the current ClinScan MRI. The UVa School of Medicine has pledged $2.5M matching funds for the purchase and installation of this instrument. We are in the process of deciding which system to purchase. It will be installed in 2020.
This scanner is optimized for imaging rodents with the ability to cardiac and respiratory gate, and a full software analysis package.
(Caliper Lifesciences, Alameda, CA) is optimized for in vivo luminescence and fluorescence imaging. It includes an optimized set of high efficiency filters and spectral un-mixing algorithms for imaging from blue to near infrared. It also offers single-view 3D tomography for both fluorescent and bioluminescent reporters that can be analyzed in an anatomical context using the Caliper Digital Mouse Atlas. The Spectrum has the capability for either trans-illumination (from the bottom) or epi-illumination (from the top) to illuminate in vivo fluorescent sources. 3D diffuse fluorescence tomography can be performed to determine source localization and concentration using the combination of structured light and trans illumination fluorescent images. The instrument is equipped with 10 narrow band excitation filters (30nm bandwidth) and 18 narrow band emission filters (20nm bandwidth) that assist in significantly reducing autofluorescence by the spectral scanning of filters and the use of spectral unmixing algorithms. In addition, the spectral unmixing tools allow the researcher to separate signals from multiple fluorescent reporters within the same animal.
Animals’ heart rate and breathing will be monitored using SA Instruments (Stony Brook, NY) model 1025 for MRI and a model 1025L for PET and SPECT hardware/software systems for monitoring and gating system.
We have a Siemens Biograph 40 TruePoint PET/CT with LSO crystals, 2mm slice spacing and 4.2mm transaxial resolution.
3T Siemens Trio and 1.5T Avanto MRI scanner.