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Introduction:

Welcome to the Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRC) at the University of Louisville Diagnostic Radiology Department!  We are located in the James Graham Brown Cancer Center at 529 South Jackson Street, Louisville, Kentucky.  We are accomplishing exciting advanced research with our microPet R4 small animal and rodent PET scanner and Maestro in-vivo fluorescence imaging machines.  The Director and Principal Investigator of the MIRC is Dr. Chin K. Ng.

MIRC Faculty and Staff: 

Director: 

              Chin K. Ng, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Radiology
              Member of James Graham Brown Cancer Center
              Director, Molecular Imaging Core Facility
              Head, Section of Imaging Sciences, Department of Radiology
              University of Louisville School of Medicine

              Contact Info:
              UofL Hospital, Department of Radiology, CCB-C07
              530 S. Jackson Street, Louisville, KY 40202  USA
              Office: 502/852-6244 or 5875, Fax: 502/852-1754
              Email: chin.ng@louisville.edu

Post-Doctorate Fellows:

              Dr. Junling Li, Ph.D. Radiochemistry

              Contact Info:

              Dr. Huaiyu Zheng, M. D.

              Contact Info:

Technicians:

(This could be further down or not on this page)

I. microPET R4 Small Animal and Rodent PET Scanner

PET is a unique imaging technology that provides information to the user about the living organism’s biochemical processes and location of disease at the molecular level.  The microPET R4 is a dedicated small animal PET (Positron Emission Tomography) imaging device.  microPET provides researchers in the biomedical sciences with a compact and very high performance PET system that can be used to non-invasively image a wide range of laboratory animals in a routine laboratory setting. Researchers around the world are using microPET scanners to:

• Study animal models of human disease
• Study genetically engineered animals
• Assess new pharmacological agents in drug development
• Assess novel drug delivery and gene therapy approaches
• Develop new molecular imaging assays
• Develop new radiotracers for use in diagnostic imaging

Non-invasive, in vivo functional imaging with microPET® allows both serial and longitudinal studies to be conducted in the same animal. This gives the researchers the opportunity to follow a single animal over time and to monitor the effects of interventions on disease progression and outcome. microPET is therefore a particularly valuable tool in animal models that have high intrinsic value or which exhibit high variability.

All scanners utilize unique Lutetium Oxyorthosilicate (LSO) detector technology, and include a computer controlled bed, a laser alignment system, image reconstruction, image display and basic image analysis. 

 a. Picture of the microPET         b. Sample picture of microPET image

II. Maestro Fluorescence Imaging             

Fluorescence imaging uses non-invasive light-based techniques to quickly detect structures and processes deep within small animals. The Maestro system provides very good sensitivity, a high level of multiplexing capabilities, and quantitative accuracy. The Maestro system effectively removes undesirable signals such as autofluorescence from images taken of small-animal models, thereby allowing researchers to see fluorescent signals easier, sooner and more accurately. The system allows the use of multiple fluorophores, detecting and separating even spectrally overlapping and difficult-to-distinguish signals.

     a. Picture of the machine         b. Sample picture of an image from the machine

              * Bullets about the machine specifics