Simultaneous molecular and anatomical imaging of the mouse in vivo

Phys Med Biol. 2002 Dec 21;47(24):4315-28. doi: 10.1088/0031-9155/47/24/301.

Abstract

Non-invasive imaging technologies are opening up new windows into mouse biology. We have developed a mouse imaging system that integrates positron emission tomography (PET) with x-ray computed tomography (CT), allowing simultaneous anatomic and molecular imaging in vivo with the potential for precise registration of the two image volumes. The x-ray system consists of a compact mini-focal x-ray tube and an amorphous selenium flat panel x-ray detector with a low-noise CMOS readout. The PET system uses planar arrays of lutetium oxyorthosilicate scintillator coupled to position-sensitive photomultiplier tubes. We describe the design of this dual-modality imaging system and show, for the first time, simultaneously acquired PET and CT images in a phantom and in mice.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone and Bones / diagnostic imaging
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Image Enhancement / instrumentation
  • Kidney / diagnostic imaging
  • Mice
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Subtraction Technique / instrumentation*
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed / instrumentation*
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed / methods
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / instrumentation*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods
  • Urinary Bladder / diagnostic imaging
  • Whole-Body Counting / methods

Substances

  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18