A high-resolution and high-sensitivity hybrid small animal PET-CT system for combined molecular/functional and anatomical preclinical imaging in neurology, oncology and cardiology. (PET CT SYSTEM)

Molecular imaging allows non-invasive in vivo visualization, characterization and quantification of biological and pathophysiological processes that can be longitudinally monitored in specific (transgenic) animal models of human diseases in a physiological environment. The hybrid small animal PET-CT system will provide molecular information with high sensitivity and submillimeter resolution co-registered with anatomical information within one single imaging session. This will enable more accurate image quantification and will reduce influences of physiological changes compared to the current sequential imaging scheme on two systems. Applications of the hybrid small animal PET-CT scanner in central nervous system disorders, cardiology and oncology research will provide much more detailed information on disease mechanisms, identify novel (smaller) targets and assess therapeutic/pharmacological interventions. In addition, this technique will play a major role in development of new radiotracers and will considerably accelerate and improve the tracer development process so that new PET tracers can be translated to the clinic much faster and can be utilized for drug development.