SPECT/CT for Molecular Imaging Facility at TJU

描述(申请人提供)：小动物成像在基础和转化性生物医学研究中的重要性，如PET、SPECT、CT、光学、超声波和MRI，怎么强调都不为过。无需牺牲大量小动物即可成像小动物的能力使研究人员能够a)验证用于诊断和治疗的新探针，b)在体内进行药代动力学研究，c)评估用于预防和治疗疾病的研究生物分子，以及d)确定治疗干预措施的有效性。小动物成像减少了每次调查中要登记的动物数量，控制了成本，并提供了有价值的、科学有效的数据，可以进行统计评估。在TJU，300多名基础和内科科学家从事肿瘤学、神经学和心脏病学的生物医学研究。2004年，TJU建立了一个小型动物成像设施，由放射科的PI(Mathew L.Thakur，PhD)指导。该设施包括CT、PET/SPECT、PET扫描仪和光学成像设备。到目前为止，已有37名研究人员使用了这一设施，并在同行评议的期刊上发表了64篇文章。CT是PET/SPECT成像的重要组成部分。我们目前使用的已有四年历史的MicroCAT II CT经常出现故障。更糟糕的是，自2012年1月1日起，西门子无法提供服务(日期为2011年8月1日的信函)。我们的SPECT设备是一台改装的飞利浦马赛克PET设备，分辨率较低，在SPECT模式下运行面临许多技术挑战。西门子SPECT/CT装置可以与我们现有的西门子Inveon PET对接，这将为我们提供一个高度通用的、集成的三模成像系统，该系统将极大地增强我们的成像能力，并为TJU的几个由联邦政府资助的翻译和基础研究项目服务。TJU目前没有这样的系统。(1)

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The importance of imaging small animals in basic and translational biomedical research, with such modalities as PET, SPECT, CT, optical, ultrasound and MRI, cannot be overemphasized. The ability to image small animals without having to sacrifice a large number of them allows investigators to a) validate novel probes for diagnosis and therapy, b) conduct pharmacokinetic studies in vivo, c) evaluate investigational bio- molecules for prevention and treatment of diseases, and d) determine the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. Small animal imaging reduces the number of animals to be enrolled in each investigation, controls cost, and provides valuable, scientifically valid data that can be evaluated statistically. At TJU, more than three hundred basic and physician scientists are engaged in biomedical research in oncology, neurology and cardiology. In 2004, TJU established a small animal imaging facility that is directed by the PI (Mathew L. Thakur, PhD), in the Department of Radiology. The facility includes a CT, PET/SPECT, a PET scanner and an optical imaging device. This facility has thus far been used by thirty-seven investigators and produced sixty four articles in peer-reviewed journals. CT is an integral part of PET/SPECT imaging. The four-year-old MicroCAT II CT we are currently using breaks down frequently. Even worse, Siemens service is not available as of January 1, 2012 (letter dated August 1, 2011). Our SPECT equipment is a modified Philips MOSAIC PET unit that suffers from poor resolution and presents numerous technical challenges for its operation in the SPECT mode. The availability of the Siemens SPECT/CT unit that can dock to our existing Siemens Inveon PET will provide us with a highly versatile, integrated, tri-modal imaging system that shall greatly enhance our imaging capability and serve for several federally funded translational and basic research projects at TJU. No such system currently exists at TJU. (1)