Translational Cancer Imaging

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ABSTRACT -Translational Cancer Imaging (TCI) Shared Resource The goal of the Translational Cancer Imaging (TCI) resource is to provide cancer center members with a comprehensive imaging service that will facilitate basic, clinical, as well as translational cancer research at UNC. The TCI has expanded from the original Small Animal Imaging Core to include four key units: 1) Cyclotron & Imaging Probe; 2) Preclinical Imaging; 3) Clinical Research Imaging; and 4) Image Analysis. The expansion of the imaging core will not only enhance our overall imaging capability, but also greatly expedite cancer research developed from basic science to clinical application with advanced tools and channels built within the TCI. The new Cyclotron and Imaging Probe unit contains all the equipment needed to support radiopharmaceutical development, clinical translation, and probe production for molecular imaging studies. Key components include state of the art radiochemistry research facility with a high energy (16.5 MeV) GE PETtrace cyclotron, multiple automated radiochemical processing modules, clean room, hot cells and other ancillary equipment. The Animal Imaging unit has a new mouse 3,000 cage holding unit and houses eleven pieces of imaging equipment dedicated for animal studies, including a 9.4T animal MR scanner, one animal PET/CT scanner, one SPECT/CT scanner, one high resolution microCT for specimens, one microCT systems for in vivo studies, two high resolution ultrasound system, three IVIS optical imaging systems, and one 3D tomographic fluorescence imaging system. With all the equipment located in one centralized space, the preclinical imaging unit is capable of providing non-invasive imaging, longitudinal studies, as well as multimodality imaging on animal models in various cancer applications. The Human Imaging unit is equipped with one 3T whole body MRI scanner, one integrated MRI/PET scanner, one PET/CT scanner, and one whole body 7T MRI scanner, all dedicated for clinical research. Again, they are all located in one centralized space right above the animal Imaging unit. These dedicated instruments strongly support the translational cancer research in a seamless fashion. The Image Analysis unit will continue to provide advanced analysis tools, customized software, and data storage and transfer tools to support imaging studies. For the next funding cycle, the TCI proposes two major aims, namely 1) to enhance infrastructure for imaging probe services and translational development; 2) strengthen animal and human imaging support in cancer research. We will enhance the infrastructure to provide imaging probe development and production services for both preclinical and clinical usage. Meanwhile, we will continue expanding our imaging capability, improving infrastructures for translational imaging study, and promoting human imaging research.