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The Philips Intera Achieva 3T MRI scanners are state-of-the-art scanners with superior gradient performance (80 mT/m gradient strength, 200T/m/s slew-rate) and 16 independent digital receiver channels. The number and types of RF coils are constantly being expanded. Those currently available include:

• Quadrature Body Coil
• Quadrature T/R head coil
• 6-ch SENSE head coil
• 8-ch SENSE head coil
• 8-ch SENSE Knee coil
• 4-ch SENSE Breast coil
• 6-ch SENSE Torso Array
• 6-ch SENSE Cardiac Array
• 2-ch SENSE Flex Arrays (Small, Medium, Large)
• 6-ch Spine Coil Array
• 50mm id. Small Sample Solenoid Coil

Spectroscopy: A full array of proton spectroscopy methods are available, including: STEAM, PRESS, 2D and 3D CSI, including SENSE acceleration. Multinuclear spectroscopy (primarily 13C and 31P) is also available:

• 31P: a 14cm id surface coil, along with proton decoupling (via Quadrature Body Coil)
• 13C: a 20cm id, half-volume coil with integrated proton imaging/decoupling coil

For more information on the scanners and ancillary equipment, please see: http://wiki.vuiis.vanderbilt.edu/index.php/Human_Imaging (Vanderbilt access only).

The Philips Intera Achieva 3T MRI scanners are state-of-the-art scanners with superior gradient performance (80 mT/m gradient strength, 200T/m/s slew-rate) and 16 independent digital receiver channels. The number and types of RF coils are constantly being expanded. Those currently available include:

• Quadrature Body Coil
• Quadrature T/R head coil
• 6-ch SENSE head coil
• 8-ch SENSE head coil
• 8-ch SENSE Knee coil
• 4-ch SENSE Breast coil
• 6-ch SENSE Torso Array
• 6-ch SENSE Cardiac Array
• 2-ch SENSE Flex Arrays (Small, Medium, Large)
• 6-ch Spine Coil Array
• 50mm id. Small Sample Solenoid Coil

Spectroscopy: A full array of proton spectroscopy methods are available, including: STEAM, PRESS, 2D and 3D CSI, including SENSE acceleration. Multinuclear spectroscopy (primarily 13C and 31P) is also available:

• 31P: a 14cm id surface coil, along with proton decoupling (via Quadrature Body Coil)
• 13C: a 20cm id, half-volume coil with integrated proton imaging/decoupling coil

For more information on the scanners and ancillary equipment, please see: http://wiki.vuiis.vanderbilt.edu/index.php/Human_Imaging (Vanderbilt access only).

The instrument is a 7 Tesla human magnetic resonance (MR) scanner from Philips Medical Systems. The scanner is designed to take advantage of increased SNR and spectral separations, while providing the flexibility to address the challenges of imaging at high field strengths.

Magnet

The magnet, manufactured by Magnex Scientific Ltd, has a 7 Tesla central field strength and <5 ppm peak-to-peak field variation over a 45 cm spherical volume. The bore size is 900 mm. It is equipped with 13 cryoshims (passive shims are used as needed to cancel higher order field errors). The helium boil-off rate is 0.2 l/h, with greater than 100 days hold time. The mass of the magnet when filled with helium is approximately 32 tonnes. The magnet is installed in a 400 tonne shielded room that isolates the exterior from the magnet's static field and the interior from environmental radio frequency noise.

Room temperature shims

Room temperature shims include second order (Z2, ZX, ZY, XY, X2-Y2) and third order (X3, Y3, Z3, Z2X, Z2Y, Z[X2-Y2], ZXY) coils. The Z2 shim is self-shielded and programmable to allow fast switching (for dynamic shimming applications).

Gradient system

The gradient coils are self-shielded, force balanced, and water cooled, with a 58 cm patient aperture. They support imaging in a 40 cm field of view (FOV) in the X and Y directions, and 35 cm FOV in the Z direction. Maximum gradient strength is 40 mT/m with a slew rate of 200 mT/m/ms.

Radio frequency (RF) transmitters

There are two fully independent transmit channels, each capable of delivering 4 kW to radio frequency coils. Both channels are broadband. The two channels are combinable for a total of 8 kW at 300 MHz.

RF receivers

The receiver currently has 16 independent proton channels, plus 4 supporting quadrature detection at 1H, 19F, 31P, 13C, and 23Na frequencies. The system can be upgraded to more channels as required.

RF Coils

Current radio frequency coils available or in production include a volume transmit/receive head coil, a volume transmit head coil, and 16 channel receive-only SENSE coil for 1H. A transmit/receive volume head coil for 13C-1H is under development. The manufacturer also provides an interface box that allows user-built coils to be used. In the near future, the following proton and carbon-13 coils will be provided in addition to our current coils: a T/R 14 cm surface coil: a T/R 8 cm surface coil: a 12 cm quadrature surface 13C-1H dual coil.

Patient handling

The scanner has a moving bed and an intercom system for communication between the investigators and study subjects.

Pulse sequence capabilities

The system has the same system software, pulse programming environment, and pulse sequences as current 3T Philips scanners, although not all sequences have been optimized for 7T. Our familiarity with the 3T and ability to transfer protocols between the platforms will be a major advantage in performing studies at 7T.

Experiment Room

Mock Scanner

HIFU (patient recovery) room

The 3T suite is fully equipped with a range of audio and video presentation equipment. For video presentation, an inside-the-scanner-room XGA resolution Avotec projector (which projects to a screen placed just behind the subject's head), Epson DLP projector (for projection onto a screen at the front of the scanner) or a pair of XGA-compatible LCD goggles for video stimulus presentation can be used, depending on the experimenter’s preference. Headphones for audio stimulus presentation and a microphone for subject feedback are also available, as well as an infrared eye tracker (built in to the LCD goggles). a Macintosh G4 computer, a Dell Pentium IV PC are available for stimuli generation. Software packages available for use include E-Prime, RSVP, Psyscope and Matlab (with the Psychological Presentation toolbox) . Two five-button keypads (one for each hand) interfaced to the computers can be used to collect subject responses if desired (Rowland Institute of Science, Boston, MA). Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) can also be measured.

Radiochemistry

F1200 SPECT lab

The 4.7T 31-cm bore Varian DirectDrive scanner is a fully broad-banded imaging/spectroscopy system equipped with actively shielded gradients (40 G/cm, rise times full amplitude of 130 μs), two independent transmit and one independent receive channels. Three transmit/receive quadrature imaging volume coils are available: 38 mm Litz coil (mouse), 63 mm birdcage coil(rat), and 160 mm birdcage coil (rabbit). System operation and animal prep support can be provided based on availability and need. The VUIIS provides computer access for data processing.

The 7T 16 cm bore Bruker Biospin Avance III HD scanner is a single frequency (¹H) system designed primarily for MRI and ¹H-MRS studies of small rodents. The system is equipped with actively shielded gradients of 77 G/cm, and rise times of 146 microseconds to full amplitude. Three transmit/receive quadrature imaging volume coils are available: 25 mm (mouse head), 38 mm (mouse body), and 72 mm, which can be operated as a T/R coil, or in 'transmit only' mode with a 4-channel 'receive only' surface array coil. System operation and animal prep support can be provided based on availability and need.

The 9.4T 21-cm bore Varian DirectDrive scanner is a fully broad-banded imaging/spectroscopy system equipped with actively shielded gradients (40 G/cm, rise times full amplitude of 135 μs), two independent transmit, and four independent receive channels. Two transmit/receive quadrature imaging volume coils are available: 38 mm Litz coil (mouse), and 63 mm birdcage coil (rat). System operation and animal prep support can be provided based on availability and need. The VUIIS provides computer access for data processing.

Any publication of work performed on this system should acknowledge the NCRR instrument grant 1S10 RR17799.

The 15.2T Bruker Biospec Avance III, 11cm horizontal bore scanner is a fully broadband imaging system equipped with 6 cm inner diameter actively shielded gradients (up to 100 G/cm, 107 μs rise time to max amplitude), and independent 1H and X nuclei transmit and receive channels. Three quadrature imaging coils are currently available: 35 mm volume birdcage coil (mouse), 35 mm volume birdcage coil for mouse and rat brain from Doty Scientific, Inc (Columbia, SC), and a closed cycle helium cryoprobe (quadrature surface coil) for high-resolution in vivo mouse imaging.

The vivaCT80 is an X-ray CT scanner for in vivo imaging of small animals with a maximum diameter of 90 mm and isotropic image voxels as small as 5 um with a radiation dose low enough for repeated in vivo scans. This system is supported by the same analytical and visualization software as the Scanco specimen scanners.

Autoradiograph.

The Faxitron LX-60 X-ray system is utilized to produce highly detailed radiographs of small animals. The system?s large 12 cm x 12 cm camera offers exceptional 10 lp/mm spatial resolution in the contact mode. Magnification allows for spatial resolution of up to 60 lp/mm. The 20 ?m nominal focal spot and additional geometric magnification provide ultra high-contrast and high spatial resolution images.

The Scanco uCT40 and uCT50 are x-ray CT scanners for obtaining and analyzing three-dimensional images of ex vivo specimens soft and hard tissues and materials. These state-of-the-art instruments are capable of producing images with voxel sizes as small as 6 um and 0.5 um, depending on specimen size, and can accommodate specimens as large as 36 mm or 48 mm in diameter, respectively. Both instruments are supported by cluster of seven HP Integrity servers for parallel processing on 42 CPU cores using a powerful suite of software designed by the manufacturer. The software suite contains several standardized and accepted methods for image reconstruction, VOI selection, segmentation, and analysis of structural, volumetric, and densitometric parameters. Additionally, we have extensive experience creating custom analytical algorithms within the Image Processing Language framework for a wide array of applications. Once created by our support team, these custom analyses can easily be executed by novice users through the Scanco Evaluation software. Visualization of three-dimensional renderings can be accomplished in the manufacturer?s software or images can be exported to a number of standard file formats for viewing in other commercially available software and/or coregistration with other imaging modalities. Users are trained and supported by three VUIIS personnel.

The Bioscan NanoSPECT/CT system combines a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) system with an x-ray CT. The SPECT system consists of four gamma cameras, each of which is outfitted with a nine-pinhole imaging aperture. Three different sets of pinhole apertures are available: one set for rat imaging (2.5 mm diameter pinholes), one set for high-sensitivity mouse imaging (1.4 mm diameter pinholes), and one set for high-resolution mouse imaging (1.0 mm diameter pinholes). The system is capable of acquiring dynamic images as well as dual-isotope imaging. All standard SPECT radionuclides can be accommodated (99mTc, 125I, 123I, 111In). The x-ray CT scanner and SPECT system are fully integrated and aligned such that co-registered CT images provide anatomical information to assist in interpretation and analysis of the SPECT images.

Several radiotracers are routinely available from the VUMC radiopharmacy, including 99mTc-sestamibi, 99mTc-pertechnetate, 99mTc-MDP, and 99mTc-MAG3.

System operation and animal prep support are provided. Any publication of work performed on this system should acknowledge the NCRR instrument grant 1S10 RR32784.

If you don't have access to the CORES system contact the CORES office and Jarrod M True

The Concorde Microsystems microPET Focus 220 is a positron emission tomography scanner with a 19 cm (transaxial) x 7.6 cm (axial) field of view. The system has an absolute sensitivity of 4% with a spatial resolution of ~1.3 mm at the center of the field of view. List-mode data acquisition along with scatter and attenuation correction capabilities allow for dynamic and quantitative imaging studies. Cardiac and respiratory gating options are available.

Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), a tracer for studying glucose metabolism, is routinely available. Fallypride (for studies of the dopaminergic system), FLT (cellular proliferation), and FMISO (hypoxia) are available by arrangement with the radiochemistry group. 64Cu-ATSM, a hypoxia agent, can be obtained on an every other week basis via an arrangement with Isotrace Technologies. Contact Michael Nickels ( michael.l.nickels@Vanderbilt.Edu ) to discuss options for obtaining other PET radiotracers.

System operation and animal prep support are provided. Any publication of work performed on this system should acknowledge the NCRR instrument grant 1S10 RR17858.

If you don't have access to the CORES system contact the CORES office and Jarrod M True

The CRI Maestro optical imaging system is designed primarily for in vivo fluorescence imaging. The Maestro is capable of background discrimination (autofluorescence) using spectral un-mixing techniques.

The IVIS Spectrum offers an optimized set of 28 high efficiency filters spanning 430-850 nm and spectral un-mixing algorithms that let you take full advantage of bioluminescent and fluorescent reporters across the blue to near infrared wavelength region. It also offers single-view 3D tomography for both fluorescent and bioluminescent reporters that can be analyzed in an anatomical context using PerkinElmer?s Digital Mouse Atlas or registered with their multimodality module to other tomographic technologies such as MR, CT or PET.

For advanced fluorescence pre-clinical imaging, the IVIS Spectrum has the capability to use either trans-illumination (from the bottom) or epi-illumination (from the top) to illuminate in vivo fluorescent sources. 3D diffuse fluorescence tomography can be performed to determine source localization and concentration using the combination of structured light and trans illumination fluorescent images. The instrument is equipped with 10 narrow band excitation filters (30nm bandwidth) and 18 narrow band emission filters (20nm bandwidth) that assist in significantly reducing autofluorescence by the spectral scanning of filters and the use of spectral unmixing algorithms. In addition, the spectral unmixing tools allow the researcher to separate signals from multiple fluorescent reporters within the same animal.

Training videos for the IVIS Platform:

• In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging on the IVIS Platform
• In Vitro Bioluminescence Imaging on the IVIS Platform
• In Vivo Fluorescence Imaging on the IVIS Platform
• In Vitro Fluorescence Imaging on the IVIS Platform

The LI-COR Pearl Impulse small animal imager allows investigators to detect two near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes simultaneously while achieving exceptional sensitivity and deep target imaging with laser excitation in both 700nm and 800nm detection channels.

• Pearl User Guide

The FMT 2500 LX is a 3D fluorescence tomographic system with the ability to quantitate up to four fluorophores emitting 660, 700, 775 and 805nm wavelengths (excitation lights at 635, 670, 746 and 790nm, respectively). The emission signals are captured by a cooled-CCD and the data is processed using TrueQuant(TM) software. The algorithm takes into account tissue heterogeneity in reconstruction of the 3D image. FMT data can be co-registered with other imaging modalities based on the fiduciary marks on the imaging cassette that holds the subject. This is useful for many applications including oncology, inflammation and cardiovascular disease.

The VisualSonics 770 High-Resolution Imaging System enables visualization, assessment, and measurement of anatomical structures and hemodynamic function in noninvasive imaging studies of small animals. B-mode (2D and 3D), power Doppler (2D and 3D), M-mode, and pulsed-Doppler imaging mode are available for anatomical, cardiac and flow analysis, respectively. Contrast enhanced tecnhiques are also available that allow for quantification of blood flow and for targeting VEGFR-2 cell surface receptors. The high frequency at which the 770 operates (20-55MHz) allows for achieving spatial resolution down to 30 microns; currently the highest spatial resolution available in real time imaging. System operation and animal preparation support can be provided based on availability and need.

All animal studies must have prior IACUC approval. Animal ventilators, anesthesia machines, and physiological monitoring systems are available for all imaging systems in the CSAI. Users may be billed for additional anesthetics, gases and animal prep supplies.

Siemens Inveon PET/CT