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.  

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