Enabling Technologies for Motion Corrected Positron Emission Tomography (PET) of Unanaesthetized Laboratory Animals

小动物分子成像是生物学研究和药物发现的有力工具。麻醉通常用于避免运动失真，但可以深刻地改变所研究的生物过程。 这项研究将使清醒的实验室动物的神经生物学现象的定量成像成为可能。它将为澳大利亚基础研究人员使用具有预期高经济潜力的创新技术创造新的机会，并通过促进新药的临床前和临床开发使小型生物技术公司受益。新开发的运动跟踪和图像重建技术将加强澳大利亚在工程和生物医学系统开发方面的领先地位。

Small animal molecular imaging is a powerful tool in biological research and drug discovery. Anaesthesia is routinely used to avoid motion distortion, but can profoundly alter the biological process studied. This research will enable quantitative imaging of neurobiological phenomena in awake laboratory animals. It will create new opportunities for Australian basic researchers to use innovative technology with expected high economic potential, and benefit small biotech companies by facilitating pre-clinical and clinical development of new pharmaceuticals. The new motion tracking and image reconstruction technologies developed will strengthen Australia's leading position in engineering and biomedical systems development.