In Vivo Optical Imaging Scanner for Small Animal Research

描述（由申请人提供）：弗吉尼亚大学（UVa）医学院和工程学院建立了成功的研究项目，在开发和应用成像方法和技术方面取得了成功，这些方法和技术用于感染性疾病的分子机制的非侵入性系列研究，包括心脏病3-5、肺部炎症6和癌症7 - 8，以及许多其他小动物和人类。成像是在UVa分子成像中心（UVaMIC）进行的，该中心拥有最先进的成像设备，包括磁共振（MR）， x射线计算机断层扫描（CT），平面荧光和生物发光成像（BLI），单伽马发射断层扫描（SPECT）和正电子发射断层扫描（PET）扫描仪。生物发光和荧光成像已成为靶向分子成像的高灵敏度和高通量成像方式。我们正在申请资金用于下一代高灵敏度和高分辨率的小动物光学成像仪，该成像仪具有基于漫射光学断层扫描的计算技术的3D重建能力。我们建议从Caliper Life Sciences， Inc.购买SPECTRUM，小动物荧光和生物发光光学扫描仪。目前来自Xenogen（现在是Caliper生命科学公司的一部分）的IVIS 100扫描仪有许多局限性，UVaMIC中提出的新型光学扫描仪将克服这些局限性。新系统的主要优点将是更好的荧光成像和创建3D图像的能力。通过现有的综合技术、科学和管理计划，将确保充分利用SPECTRUM小动物光学扫描仪所提供的增强能力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The University of Virginia (UVa) Schools of Medicine and Engineering have established successful research programs in the development and application of imaging methodologies and techniques for non- invasive serial studies of the molecular mechanisms underlying infectious diseases1, 2 heart disease 3-5, lung inflammation 6 and cancer 7, 8 amongst many others in small animals and humans. Imaging is carried out at the UVa Molecular Imaging Center (UVaMIC) that houses state of the art imaging devices including magnetic resonance (MR), X-ray computed tomography (CT), planar fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging (BLI), single gamma emission tomography (SPECT), and positron emission tomography (PET) scanners. Bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging 9-11 have emerged as high sensitivity and high throughput imaging modalities for targeted molecular imaging. We are requesting funds for a next generation high sensitivity and high-resolution small animal optical imager with 3D reconstruction capabilities based on a computational technique called diffuse optical tomography. We propose to purchase the SPECTRUM, small animal fluorescence and bioluminescence optical scanner from Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. The present IVIS 100 scanner from Xenogen (now a part of Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.) has a number of limitations, which would be overcome by the proposed new optical scanner in the UVaMIC. The main benefits of the new system will be better fluorescence imaging and the ability to create 3D images. Full utilization of the enhanced capabilities afforded by the SPECTRUM small animal optical scanner will be assured through an existing comprehensive technical, scientific, and administrative plan. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: We are requesting funds for a state of art bioluminescence and fluorescence small animal scanner, which is a necessary resource for the University of Virginia (UVa) program in molecular imaging. Molecular imaging is the "visualization, characterization, and measurement of biological processes at the molecular and cellular levels in humans and other living systems."12 This probing by imaging of biological processes can be used to localize and quantify particular events. Optical imaging is a preferred functional imaging modality over Positron Emission Tomography (PET) or Single Gamma Emission Tomography (SPECT) due to its high sensitivity and throughput. Moreover, molecular events in an animal subject could be non-invasively studied over days due to longer biological half-life as compared to radionuclide imaging where half-life is a major constraint. However, a combination of optical and PET and/or SPECT could enable both high sensitivity and high resolution imaging of molecular events in animal subjects and humans. Although whole body human scanning is unlikely, the feasibility of the diffuse optical tomography technique for imaging breast cancer, superficial sentinel lymph nodes, the brain surface, arms and fingers has been shown. The relevance to public health of the addition of the next generation bioluminescence and fluorescence scanner to the already extensive imaging resources available at UVaMIC is that the presence of this scanner will enable research that is now not possible on new ways of detecting, characterizing, and treating diseases utilizing optical scanning.