microPET Focus 220

描述(由申请人提供)：该提案请求为西门子MicroPET Focus 220临床前PET扫描仪提供资金，以支持现有的正电子发射断层扫描(PET)成像研究项目，该项目自1992年以来一直在匹兹堡大学运行。与目前可用的临床PET相比，MicroPET Focus 220等专用小动物扫描仪显著提高了动物疾病模型成像应用的性能并降低了成本。使用microPET的非侵入性体内成像允许在同一动物中进行连续和纵向研究，使研究人员有机会跟踪一只动物一段时间，并监测干预措施对疾病进展和结果的影响。Focus 220将取代2002年安装的传统协和微系统公司(现为西门子)microPET P4扫描仪，该扫描仪已被制造商宣布报废，不再受支持。匹兹堡microPET P4系统的独特之处在于，它与小口径8层诊断CT(Neurologica，Inc.CereTom“)相结合，在较大的研究动物(如非人类灵长类动物)中提供内在共同注册的PET和诊断CT扫描。该仪器对NIH资助的几个正在进行的项目以及一些正在开发的新项目至关重要，这些项目寻求利用匹兹堡microPET P4/CereTom组合的独特多式联运能力。拟议的microPET Focus 220将取代这一混合临床前PET/CT成像系统中过时的microPET P4组件。除了为传统的microPET P4扫描仪提供必要的替代外，新的microPET F220平台的几个关键功能还有可能显著增强正在进行的PET研究计划。其中包括更高的空间分辨率、更高的系统灵敏度以及更好的计数性能。如果获得资金，这项提议将提供必要的资金，用目前的Focus 220平台取代过时的MicroPET P4扫描仪。本申请描述了目前由美国国立卫生研究院赞助的8个主要用户和3个次要用户项目，包括临床前PET成像的一个组成部分。这些项目将立即从这一关键升级中受益。除了直接影响之外，我们预计此次升级将通过为临床前PET和PET/CT成像项目提供持续支持，支持非常成功的PET研究计划的进一步扩展。 公共卫生相关性：这项提议是为了临床前的MicroPET Focus 220扫描仪，用于从小鼠到非人类灵长类动物大小不等的动物模型的活体分子成像。除了仅进行PET扫描外，它还将与专门的CT相结合，创建一个面向包括非人类灵长类动物在内的更大研究动物的PET/CT成像平台。该系统将有助于促进基础科学研究、转化研究和治疗开发，从小鼠模型到更大的动物，在神经科学、癌症、传染病和炎症性疾病以及移植科学等领域的广泛应用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal requests funds for a Siemens MicroPET Focus 220 preclinical PET scanner in support of an existing positron emission tomography (PET) imaging research program that has been operational at the University of Pittsburgh since 1992. Dedicated small animal scanners such as the MicroPET Focus 220 significantly improve performance and reduce cost for imaging applications in animal models of disease compared with currently available clinical PET. Non- invasive in vivo imaging with microPET allows serial and longitudinal studies to be performed in the same animal giving researchers the opportunity to follow a single animal over time and to monitor the effects of interventions on disease progression and outcome. The Focus 220 will replace a legacy Concorde Microsystems (now Siemens) MicroPET P4 scanner installed in 2002, which has been declared end-of-life by the manufacturer and is no longer supported. The Pittsburgh MicroPET P4 system is unique in that it has been coupled with a small-bore 8-slice diagnostic CT (Neurologica, Inc. CereTom") providing intrinsically co-registered PET and diagnostic CT scans in larger research animals (e.g. non-human primates). This instrument is critical to several ongoing NIH-funded projects as well as a number of new projects under development that seek to leverage the unique multimodal capabilities of the Pittsburgh MicroPET P4/CereTom combination. The proposed MicroPET Focus 220 will replace the obsolete MicroPET P4 component of this hybrid preclinical PET/CT imaging system. In addition to providing a necessary replacement for the legacy MicroPET P4 scanner, several key features of the new MicroPET F220 platform have the potential to significantly enhance the ongoing PET research program. These include higher spatial resolution, increased and system sensitivity, and improved count-rate performance. If funded, this proposal will provide the necessary funds to replace the obsolete MicroPET P4 scanner with the current Focus 220 platform. This application describes 8 Major User and 3 Minor User projects that are currently NIH-sponsored and include a component of preclinical PET imaging. These projects will immediately benefit from this critical upgrade. Beyond the immediate impact, we expect that this upgrade will support further expansion of a very successful PET research program by providing continued support for preclinical PET and PET/CT imaging projects. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This proposal is for a preclinical microPET Focus 220 scanner for in vivo molecular imaging of animal models ranging in size from mice to non-human primates. In addition to PET-only scanning, it will be combined with a specialized CT, creating a PET/CT imaging platform geared toward larger research animals including non-human primates. This system will help facilitate basic science research, translational research and therapy development, from mouse models to larger animals, for wide variety of applications in, e.g., neuroscience, cancer, infectious and inflammatory disease, and transplant science.