Director: Chris A. Flask, PhD
Assistant Professor, Radiology and Biomedical Engineering
flask@case.edu

Assistant Director: Lan Lu, PhD
Instructor, Radiology
Lulan07@gmail.com

JLab X-Ray/Planar Gamma Scintigraphic Scanner

We are a research partner and a Beta-site for developing and testing the new combined scanner with Thomas Jefferson National Lab (JLab), a Department of Energy (DOE) facility (Newport News, VA). The planar scanner has a 5" x 5" gamma detector with specially designed high sensitivity collimator for low energy photons such as those from 125I. For the X-ray component, an x-ray generator operates at maximum 40 kVP and 1mA, along with a 5" X 2.5" CMOS detector w/ 2048 X 1024 pixels. The scanner can accommodate a pair of mice or a rat with an overall resolution of ~3 mm. The scanner is preferred for use in the combined mode to achieve the overlay of structure and function. For detailed performance characteristics of this scanner, please contact Zhenghong Lee.

For most research projects at their initial stage, the question that is often asked is "will it work?", or "does it happen?", etc. A planar scanner with semi-quantitative image data and relatively low cost for the study will provide "concept-proof" before moving towards 3D and more quantitative imaging such as SPECT or PET. Gamma scintigraphy is done using radiolabeled pharmaceuticals. There is a wide range of gamma emitting radionuclides with the most commonly used label as 99mTc, 123I, 125I, 111In, and many others have been used. Small molecules, peptides/ligands and proteins/antibodies can be labeled with these radionuclides for imaging depending on the study design. Since we design this scanner to cater 125I imaging, any labs that already labeled their compounds with 125I for in vitro assays can start in vivo imaging on small animals immediately. Please contact Zhenghong Lee regarding availability of radiopharmaceuticals.

To keep animals still for imaging, anesthesia is routinely used. Isoflurane is the preferred anesthetic and we have a special anesthesia machine designed for mice and rats.

Availability

This instrument is on long-term loan to Dr. Zhenghong Lee, and will be put in the small animal imaging facility, and as such is treated as a university resource. Researchers from all departments are welcome to develop projects and protocols that use it.

Fees

Contact

Zhenghong Lee, PhD
Associate Professor, Radiology, Biomedical Engineering
zxl11@case.edu

Acknowledgment

The loan of this JLab combined planar scanner is part of the subcontract from JLab/DOE with CWRU (subcontract PI: Z. Lee).