Animal Imaging Core Laboratory

Located within floor 4F of the John G. Rangos Sr. Research Center at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, the Animal Imaging Core Laboratory provides multi-modal imaging services for academic investigators, national collaborators, and industrial partners, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT), optical imaging (IVIS), and microinjection for pre-clinical animal research. We conduct research in all areas of preclinical anatomical imaging, functional imaging, and molecular imaging, from small rodents, rabbits, goats, pigs, to non-human primates.  

Each imaging modality has full anesthesia systems and dedicated animal housing facilities suitable for various in vivo and ex vivo tissue imaging. The imaging core facility resides within the AAALAC accredited Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR) vivarium area with dedicated animal holding rooms for longitudinal studies.  Furthermore, a fully equipped surgical suite is available for surgical procedures or necropsy.   

Our Core is a biosafety level (BSL)-2+ facility, permitting wide ranges of studies with tissue-specific modification with viruses, DNA or RNA constructs, drug, cells as well as radioactive materials.  

Yijen Wu, PhD, is the Director of the Animal Imaging Core Laboratory. 

For service, fill the Service Request Form and email topeds-caicore@pitt.edu

Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy (MRI/MRS)

Learn more about our Bruker BioSpec 70/30 USR Superconducting Magnet System, applications, and pulse sequences.

Ultrasound

We operate the Philips HD11 XE and Visual Sonics Vevo 770 ultrasound systems.

Optical Imaging Systems

Our laboratory operates Xenogen IVIS Lumina 50 and Perkin-Elmer Lumina IVIS S5 optical imaging systems.

PET, SPECT, and CT

Our multi-modal Siemens Inveon system is capable of doing micro-CT, SPECT, and PET in an integrated system.

Animal Monitoring, Holding, Housing, and Surgical Suites

We provide hot animal, anesthesia, monitoring, surgical and housing services in collaboration with on-site DLAR staff.

Data Analysis Services

We offer free training for data analysis as well as data analysis for a fee.  Customized services are available upon request.

Consultations, Project Development, and Support

The lab provides no-cost initial consultations and assistance building and designing study workflows.

Directory

Contact faculty and staff of the Animal Imaging Core Laboratory.