Prototyping and validation of a system for unrestrained awake brain PET imaging of small laboratory animals.

Molecular imaging of small laboratory animals typically involves a restraining procedure to avoid movement during the imaging scan. To reduce the impact of stress, animals are anesthetized, but the latter largely influences brain physiology. The current project aims to develop a prototype for awake unrestrained small animal brain positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to better mimic the clinicalsituation where human patients are seldom sedated.

Keywords:MOLECULAR IMAGING, SMALL ANIMAL IMAGING, MOTION COMPENSATION, NEUROSCIENCE

Disciplines:Multimedia processing, Biological system engineering, Signal processing, Medical imaging and therapy, Other paramedical sciences