Director: Kurt R. Zinn, DVM, PhD
Department/Center Association: Medicine and Radiology/Comprehensive Cancer Center
Established: 2003
Mission
The facility was established to enable UAB researchers to apply non-invasive, molecular imaging technologies in animal models. Imaging is accomplished with a range of imaging modalities, including gamma camera imaging, X-ray CT, bioluminescence, fluorescence, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and ultrasound imaging. It is expected that the successful application of small animal imaging will speed efforts to translate basic research to human clinical trials.
The goals of the facility include
the following: 1) to apply imaging to evaluate the health status of animal
models, including the function of organ systems; 2) to detect and monitor
cancer progression during therapeutic intervention; 3) to evaluate targeting of
gene therapy vectors for various applications; 4) to evaluate targeting of
peptide, proteins, and unique molecular conjugates; 5) to develop imaging
approaches for autoimmune disease research; and 6) to develop new
instrumentation and imaging systems for increasing the sensitivity and
specificity for molecular imaging.
Facility Description
Research
laboratories are housed in the Boshell Building and
an additional imaging suite was recently completed in Volker Hall. The Boshell
facility encompasses approximately 2,000 square feet, including the following
areas: animal housing, radiolabeling, imaging, in vitro assays, and tissue
culture. The Boshell
Laboratory houses two gamma cameras, and a SPECT/CT system for 3-dimensional
SPECT imaging in combination with X-ray CT.
SPECT is an acronym for single photon emission computed tomography, an
imaging technique that allows for 3-dimensional detection of gamma-emitting
tracers in animals at approximately 1 mm resolution. Two IVIS-100 imaging systems (Xenogen, Inc.) are also available for bioluminescence and
fluorescence imaging. Fluorescence tomographic imaging is accomplished with a pulse laser
system that can measure both fluorescence intensity and lifetime. A high frequency ultrasound instrument is
also available with 20, 30, 40, and 55 MHz probes. A 9.4T MR imaging system is available for
small animals.
Research Information
The
development and validation of new molecular imaging approaches has great
potential to improve the diagnosis and monitoring of cancer in animal
models. The advantages of multi-modality
imaging assessment are that it is repeatable, non-invasive, and capable of
evaluating the entire animal model (or human) over time.
The Small Animal Imaging Core is a shared facility supported by the CCC core grant from the NCI. The facility supports preclinical cancer research by providing a unique, non-invasive evaluation of 1) tumor location and mass, 2) receptors important in the growth and spread of cancer, 3) tumor targeting with cells, and 4) response to therapy.
Bioluminescence Imaging
Bioluminescence imaging is an efficient and sensitive method to detect luciferase expression in living animals. Applications include measurement of tumor mass, tumor metastasis, trafficking of injected cells, verification of gene therapy vector targeting, imaging of signaling, and screening promoter constructs driving luciferase expression in transgenic mice. Images are collected at 10 min after intraperitoneal injection of 2.5 mg luciferin in mice, or 7.5 mg in rats. During imaging the animals are maintained under isoflurane anesthesia at 37 oC. Imaging is performed several times on each mouse. Image acquisition times for imaging ranges from 20 sec to 10 min. Data acquisition software ensures that no pixels are saturated during image collection. Light emission from animal regions (photons/sec) is measured using software provided by the vendor (Xenogen). The intensity of light emission is represented with a pseudocolor scaling of the bioluminescent images. The bioluminescent images are typically overlaid on black and white photographs of the animals that are collected at the same time.
Services
Instrument charges are at the rate
of $100-125 per hour. Bioluminescence
studies related to cancer are currently $6 per mouse image. Investigators are encouraged to include percent
effort in grant applications to cover technical assistance for imaging
procedures. Please contact the Director
for questions related to inclusion of faculty effort in grant applications,
especially for plans related to the development of new imaging technologies or
imaging probes.
More
information on what can be accomplished with bioluminescence can be found in
the review paper “Noninvasive Bioluminescence Imaging in Small Animals.”
Contact Information
Director: Kurt Zinn, DVM, PhD
Email: kurtzinn@uab.edu
Phone: 205-975-6414
Approved by: Kurt R. Zinn, DVM, PhD, Director
Date: April 15, 2008
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