State of the art in vivo imaging techniques for laboratory animals

In recent decades, imaging devices have become indispensable tools in the basic sciences, in preclinical research and in modern drug development. The rapidly evolving high-resolution in vivo imaging technologies provide a unique opportunity for studying biological processes of living organisms in real time on a molecular level. State of the art small-animal imaging modalities provide non-invasive images rich in quantitative anatomical and functional information, which renders longitudinal studies possible allowing precise monitoring of disease progression and response to therapy in models of different diseases. The number of animals in a scientific investigation can be substantially reduced using imaging techniques, which is in full compliance with the ethical endeavours for the 3R (reduction, refinement, replacement) policies formulated by Russell and Burch; furthermore, biological variability can be alleviated, as each animal serves as its own control. The most suitable and commonly used imaging modalities for in vivo small-animal imaging are optical imaging (OI), ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and finally the methods of nuclear medicine: positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

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State-of-the-art of small animal imaging with high-resolution SPECT

Nuklearmedizin ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1625323 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 44 (06) ◽

pp. 257-266 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

A. Wirrwar ◽

C. Antke ◽

K. Kley ◽

H.-W. Müller ◽

S. Nikolaus

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

In Vivo Imaging ◽

State Of The Art ◽

Small Animal Imaging ◽

Small Animal ◽

Small Animals ◽

Imaging Studies ◽

Animal Imaging ◽

The Individual

SummaryDuring the recent years, in vivo imaging of small animals using SPECT has become of growing relevance. Along with the development of dedicated high-resolution small animal SPECT cameras, an increasing number of conventional clinical scanners has been equipped with single or multipinhole collimators. This paper reviews the small animal tomographs, which are operating at present and compares their performance characteristics. Furthermore, we describe the in vivo imaging studies, which have been performed so far with the individual scanners and survey current approaches to optimize molecular imaging with small animal SPECT.

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NEMA NU 4-2008 and in vivo imaging performance of RAYCAN trans-PET/CT X5 small animal imaging system

Physics in Medicine and Biology ◽

10.1088/1361-6560/ab1856 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 64 (11) ◽

pp. 115014 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

J Teuho ◽

C Han ◽

L Riehakainen ◽

A Honkaniemi ◽

M Tirri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

In Vivo Imaging ◽

Imaging System ◽

Small Animal Imaging ◽

Small Animal ◽

Animal Imaging ◽

Pet Ct ◽

Imaging Performance

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Micro-computed tomography newly developed for in vivo small animal imaging

Oral Radiology ◽

10.1007/s11282-005-0024-5 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 14-18 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Yoshinori Arai ◽

Ayuta Yamada ◽

Tadashi Ninomiya ◽

Takafumi Kato ◽

Yuji Masuda

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

Small Animal Imaging ◽

Small Animal ◽

Micro Computed Tomography ◽

Animal Imaging

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In vivo imaging neurotransmitter function

Nuklearmedizin ◽

10.3413/nukmed-0371-10-12 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 50 (04) ◽

pp. 155-156 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

R. Larisch ◽

H. Vosberg ◽

M. Beu ◽

H. Hautzel ◽

A. Wirrwar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

In Vivo Imaging ◽

Clinical Studies ◽

Small Animal Imaging ◽

Small Animal ◽

Imaging Studies ◽

Animal Imaging

SummaryThis article gives an overview of those small animal imaging studies which have been conducted on neurotransmitter function in the rat 6-hydoxydopamine (6-OHDA) model of Parkinson’s disease, and discusses findings with respect to the outcome of clinical studies on Parkinsonian patients.

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In Vivo Imaging of Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptors in Mouse Lungs: A Biomarker of Inflammation

Molecular Imaging ◽

10.2310/7290.2005.05133 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 7290.2005.05133 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Matthew J. Hardwick ◽

Ming-Kai Chen ◽

Kwamena Baidoo ◽

Martin G. Pomper ◽

Tomás R. Guilarte

Keyword(s):

In Vivo Imaging ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Inflammatory Diseases ◽

Imaging Techniques ◽

Benzodiazepine Receptors ◽

Small Animal ◽

Small Animal Pet ◽

Planar Imaging ◽

Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptors

The ability to visualize the immune response with radioligands targeted to immune cells will enhance our understanding of cellular responses in inflammatory diseases. Peripheral benzodiazepine receptors (PBR) are present in monocytes and neutrophils as well as in lung tissue. We used lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as a model of inflammation to assess whether the PBR could be used as a noninvasive marker of inflammation in the lungs. Planar imaging of mice administrated 10 or 30 mg/kg LPS showed increased [123I]-( R)-PK11195 radioactivity in the thorax 2 days after LPS treatment relative to control. Following imaging, lungs from control and LPS-treated mice were harvested for ex vivo gamma counting and showed significantly increased radioactivity above control levels. The specificity of the PBR response was determined using a blocking dose of nonradioactive PK11195 given 30 min prior to radiotracer injection. Static planar images of the thorax of nonradioactive PK11195 pretreated animals showed a significantly lower level of radiotracer accumulation in control and in LPS-treated animals ( p < .05). These data show that LPS induces specific increases in PBR ligand binding in the lungs. We also used in vivo small-animal PET studies to demonstrate increased [11C]-( R)-PK11195 accumulation in the lungs of LPS-treated mice. This study suggests that measuring PBR expression using in vivo imaging techniques may be a useful biomarker to image lung inflammation.

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