In-vivo instrumentation (imaging)
IVIS Spectrum bioluminescent and fluorescent imaging systems (Perkin Elmer)
Our two IVIS Spectrum instruments can perform both fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging. Typical applications include qualitative tumor burden tracking, high throughput in vivo and ex vivo biodistribution and screening studies. Systems specifications and an acquisition software manual are available. Typical features include:
| Imaging throughput | Up to 5 mice or 2 rats per imaging session |
|---|---|
| Heating | Yes, heated platform |
| Physiological monitoring | No |
| Acquisition type | 2D (3D through surface topography) |
| Typical acquisition times | 1 sec – 1 min |
| Nominal spatial resolution | ex vivo: 20 um; in vivo: mm depending on depth in tissue |
| Max field of view | 23 cm x 23 cm |
| Analysis software | Living Image |
Skyscan 1276 animal and specimen x-ray microtomograph (Bruker)
Our microCT instrument can perform high resolution x-ray tomography and is typically used for bone structure imaging, lung tumor imaging, implant tracking as well as contrast enhanced vascular imaging. Typical features include:
| Imaging throughput | Up to 4 mice or 1 rat, multiple specimens per imaging session |
|---|---|
| Heating | Yes, heated airflow |
| Physiological monitoring | Yes (ECG, breathing, temperature) |
| Acquisition type | 2D, 3D, 4D, helical |
| Typical acquisition times | 1 – 40 mins |
| Nominal spatial resolution | ex vivo: 5 um, in vivo: 20 um |
| Max field of view | Continuously adjustable (specimen-mouse-primate) |
| Analysis software | CTan, CTVol |
Vevo 3100 and LAZR-X ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging system (FujiFilm-VisualSonics)
Our ultrasound system is equipped with four transducers with frequencies from 18 to 70 MHz ideal for imaging of a wide variety of species from zebrafish to primates. Typical applications include blood flow and capillary perfusion measurements, cardiac imaging, tumor imaging, needle guidance and implant imaging.
Our photoacoustic system is equipped with a multi-wavelength pulsed laser source (680-970 nm and 1200-2000nm) that allows for spectral characterization of compounds such as gold and carbon nanostructures, as well as oxygen saturation measurements in blood.
Typical features include:
| Imaging throughput | 1 mouse or rat per imaging session |
|---|---|
| Heating | Yes, heated platform |
| Physiological monitoring | Yes (ECG, breathing, temperature) |
| Acquisition type | 2D, 3D, 4D |
| Typical acquisition times | Real time – 5 mins for 3D |
| Nominal spatial resolution | 30 um@70 MHz to 100 um@18 MHz |
| Max field of view | 9.7 mm x 12 mm @ 70 MHz to 23 mm x 36 mm @18 MHz |
| Analysis software | VevoLab |
Varian (magnet) / Bruker (console) 7T MRI system (A2B Bruker upgrade)
| Imaging throughput | 1 mouse or rat per imaging session |
|---|---|
| Heating | Yes, heated airflow |
| Physiological monitoring | Yes (ECG, breathing, temperature) |
| Acquisition type | 2D, 3D |
| Typical acquisition times | 2 – 30 mins |
| Nominal spatial resolution | 150 um |
| Max field of view | 40 mm |
| Analysis software | ParaVision |
G8 PET/CT preclinical imaging system (Perkin Elmer)
Our PET system is capable of highly sensitive tumor detection and biodistribution and therapeutic targeting studies using radioisotopes such as 18F, 64Cu, 89Zr. It is limited to full body mouse and rat head due to the small bore which allows for superb sensitivity comparatively to other PET machines. The system also includes a CT scanner that allows for co-registration of the PET image with the anatomy of the animal. System specifications are available. Typical features include:
| Imaging throughput | 1 mouse or rat per imaging session |
|---|---|
| Heating | Yes |
| Physiological monitoring | No |
| Acquisition type | 2D, 3D |
| Typical acquisition times | 10 mins (PET), 5 mins (CT) |
| Nominal spatial resolution | 1.4 mm at the center of field of view |
| Max field of view | 4.7 cm x 9.5 cm |
| Analysis software | VivoQuant |
Ex-vivo instrumentation (non-imaging)
2480 Wizard2 automatic gamma counter (Perkin Elmer)
Our gamma counter is well suited for quantitative measurements of PET tracer and a large library of gamma emitting radionuclides in excised tissues and comparison with image-based PET biodistribution data. Systems specifications are available. Typical features include:
| Imaging throughput | 1000 samples per run |
|---|---|
| Physiological monitoring | Library of 51 radionuclides |
| Acquisition type | Counts |
| Sample volume | 3 – 20 ml |
| Energy window | 15-2000 keV |
| Analysis software | StatLIA |
Data Analysis Resources
The Preclinical Imaging & Testing Facility currently has 5 workstations available to users with commercially available and custom build image visualization and analysis software.
For reserving time in any of the workstations please use iLabs. To get log in credentials please contact the facility’s staff. For data management in these workstations, users will be provided with specific instructions as part of their training.
| Processor | Memory | Graphics | Storage | Software |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonic - Workstation 1 (PC Windows) | ||||
| 3.2 GHz AMD Ryzen Quad-Core |
32 GB 2400 MHz GDDR5 |
AMD Radeon (TM) RX 570 4096 MB | 1 TB | Amira, Living Image, VevoLab |
| Positron - Workstation 2 (iMac) | ||||
| 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5 |
32 GB 2400 MHz DDR4 |
Radeon Pro 570 4096 MB | 1 TB | VivoQuant 3, Amide, ImageJ |
| Photon - Workstation 4 (PC Windows) | ||||
| Dual Intel Xeon Gold 6136 12 core, 3.0 GHz | 192 GB | Nvidia Quadro RTX 5000, 6GB | 10 TB | Matlab, Julia, MicroView, ImageJ, NRecon |