Animal Imaging Core

标题：动物影像核心 最近在小动物成像方面的进展大大提高了我们在不改变生物系统的情况下洞察疾病进展的能力。北卡罗来纳大学的小动物成像设施目前拥有9种主要成像设备，包括MRI(2)、PET/CT(1)、CT(1)、SPECT(1)、光学成像(3)和超声波(1)。此外，还有熟练的技术人员维护和操作成像设备和动物技术人员，以方便动物为成像和成像过程中的监测做准备。利用这些令人印象深刻的资源，小动物成像(SAI)核心旨在提供先进的成像技术，以促进拟议的项目。具体地说，将为拟议的项目执行两项主要的成像任务，包括描绘纳米颗粒的生物分布(项目1、2和3)以及使用成像方法监测和评估拟议的纳米颗粒或治疗方案的治疗效果(项目2、3和4)。为了完成前一项任务，将发展PET和光学成像方法，以更有效和准确地提供生物分布信息。对于后一项任务，将使用包括光学、CT、PET和MRI在内的四种成像手段来监测治疗效果。最后，虽然小动物成像设施的成像能力已经令人印象深刻，但我们机构已承诺提供额外资金，以进一步加强北卡罗来纳大学的成像计划，包括建立现场回旋加速器设施和相关的放射化学实验室，并开发使用MicroCT、MRI和PET进行多模式成像的成像配准方法(项目2、3和4)。总之，我们相信，小动物成像设施现有的技术专长和完善的基础设施将极大地促进拟议项目的成功。

Title: Animal Imaging Core Recent advances in small animal imaging have substantially improved our ability to gain insights into disease progression without altering the biological systems. The small animal imaging facility at UNC currently houses nine major imaging equipments, including MRI (2), PET/CT (1), CT (1), SPECT (1), optical imaging (3), and ultrasound (1). In addition, skillful technical staff members to maintain and operate the imaging equipments and animal technicians to facilitate animal preparation for imaging and monitoring during imaging are available. Leveraging on these impressive resources, the small animal imaging (SAI) core aims to provide advanced imaging technology to facilitate the proposed projects. Specifically, two major imaging tasks will be carried out for the proposed projects, including to depict biodistribution of nanoparticles (Projects 1, 2, and 3) and to monitor and evaluate therapeutic efficacy of the proposed nanoparticles or treatment regimens (Projects 2, 3, and 4) using imaging methods. To accomplish the former task, both PET and optical imaging methods will be developed to more efficiently and accurately provide biodistribution information. For the latter task, four imaging modalities, including optical, CT, PET, and MRI will be used to monitor therapeutic efficacy. Finally, while the imaging capability in the small animal imaging facility is already impressive, our institution has committed additional funds to further augment the imaging program at UNC, including the establishment of an on-site cyclotron facility and the associated radiochemistry lab and the development of imaging registration approaches for multimodality imaging using microCT, MRI, and PET (Projects 2, 3 and 4). Together, we believe that the available technical expertise and well established infrastructure in the small animal imaging facility will greatly facilitate the success ofthe proposed projects.