Small Animal Ct
Small Animal Ct - Related Videos
05:12
A Micro-CT-based Method for Characterizing Lesions and Locating Electrodes in Small Animal Brains
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Cited by 8 •
2018
This article describes a straightforward method to prepare small animal brains for micro-CT imaging, in which lesions can be quantified and electrodes located with high precision in the context of the whole brain.
11:18
Micro-CT Imaging of a Mouse Spinal Cord
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2023
Source: Peiman Shahbeigi-Roodposhti and Sina Shahbazmohamadi, Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut It's a little-known fact that the discovery and (inadvertent) use of X-rays garnered the first ever Nobel Prize in Physics. The famous X-ray image of Dr. Röntgen's wife's hand from 1895 that sent shock waves through the scientific community looks like most modern day 2D medical X-ray images. Though it is not the newest technology, X-ray absorption...
09:08
Combined SPECT and CT Imaging to Visualize Cardiac Functionality
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2023
Source: Alycia G. Berman, James A. Schaber, and Craig J. Goergen, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana Here we will demonstrate the fundamentals of single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging using mice. The technique involves injecting a radionuclide into a mouse, imaging the animal after it is distributed throughout the body, and then reconstructing the produced images to create a volumetric dataset. This can...
01:37
Non-invasive Monitoring and Imaging in Animal Research
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2026
All animal procedures described here must be conducted in accordance with institutional animal ethics guidelines and approved by IACUC. All procedures must follow the principles of the 3Rs—Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement—and must be performed by trained personnel. Non-invasive technologies support the principles of 3Rs by enabling repeated data collection from the same animal without the need for euthanasia at multiple time points. These approaches reduce the number of animals required...
10:53
Functional Imaging of Brown Fat in Mice with 18F-FDG micro-PET/CT
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Cited by 37 •
2012
A method of functional imaging of mouse brown adipose tissue (BAT) is described in which cold-stimulated uptake of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in BAT is non-invasively assessed with a standardized micro-PET/CT protocol. This method is robust and sensitive to detect differences in BAT activities in mouse models.
FAQs
As X-rays pass through the animal, tissues attenuate the beam to different degrees. The rotating tube and detectors record these variations from multiple angles, and computer algorithms reconstruct them into cross-sectional slices. Combining the slices provides a three-dimensional representation that allows investigators to measure anatomical structures and disease-related changes rather than relying only on direct visual inspection.
Iodinated contrast increases the visibility of blood vessels and soft tissues by creating stronger differences in X-ray attenuation between structures. This added separation can make vascular anatomy or tissue changes easier to evaluate than scans without contrast. Its use is therefore particularly relevant when the research question depends on distinguishing structures that may otherwise appear less clearly in the reconstructed images.
High spatial resolution helps small animal CT depict fine anatomical detail, which is valuable when investigators examine bones, lungs, tumors, or other localized changes. This anatomical precision differs from the primary strengths of molecular and functional imaging methods, which provide information about biological activity. Using the modalities together can connect structural changes with molecular or functional findings.
The animal is anesthetized during scanning so that the rotating acquisition can be performed while its position remains sufficiently controlled for image reconstruction. This condition supports consistent cross-sectional and three-dimensional visualization across an examination. In longitudinal studies, comparable imaging conditions help researchers evaluate anatomical progression or treatment response over time without requiring dissection at each assessment.
A typical examination places the anesthetized laboratory animal within the CT system while an X-ray tube and detectors rotate around it. The system records tissue attenuation from the acquisition, after which computer algorithms reconstruct the measurements into slices and three-dimensional views. When vascular or soft-tissue visualization is needed, iodinated contrast may be incorporated to improve anatomical distinction.
Researchers apply small animal CT when they need measurable anatomical information in living laboratory animals. Supported uses include assessing bone and lung structures, monitoring tumors, planning surgery, and tracking disease or treatment-related changes longitudinally. Because imaging avoids dissection during each assessment, the same animal can contribute information across stages of a biological investigation.
CT findings provide structural measurements that can be compared across disease stages or treatment time points. In biology and preclinical research, this supports evaluation of whether anatomy changes as a condition progresses or responds to intervention. The resulting structural information can also complement molecular and functional imaging, helping relate visible anatomical alterations to other kinds of biological evidence.