Micro-Computed Tomography (microCT)
The Animal Imaging Shared Resource (AISR) offers animal and specimen microCT acquisitions and image analysis to CU Cancer Center member and non-members.
MicroCT is a high-resolution 3-dimensional imaging technique. The physical principle of CT is based on scattering and absorption of x-rays by tissues based on their electron density. There are essentially three levels of attenuation yielding color-coded contrast in CT: air (black), soft tissue (grey shades) and bone (white). Disseminated tumors to the bone and lung are easily detected by microCT in the range of 5-10 microns resolution.
Facility:
The Siemens Inveon microCT system was installed at CU AMC in March 2008.
The new PerkinElmer Quantum GX2 microCT scanner will be installed at CU AMC in August 2020, from a successful NIH S10 Shared Instrumentation for Animal Research (SIFAR) grant.
Protocols:
- High-resolution 3D CT on tumor volumes and metastases detections (in-vivo)
- High-resolution specimen CT (ex-vivo)
- Starting August 2020: breath-gated in vivo lung CT
- Starting August 2020: Quantitative bone density and trabecular bone analysis (in-vivo and ex-vivo)
- Starting August 2020: Quantitative body composition analysis (fat content)
Schedule a Service:
Small Animal Imaging or Specimen Imaging
- To schedule a consultation for animal or specimen CT based studies and study design please contact Natalie Serkova, PhD, Natalie.Serkova@CUAnschutz.edu, 303-359-0870.
- To schedule a CT imaging appointment please follow these instructions for new ilab users, service requests, and equipment reservations.
- You must have an approved IACUC protocol. Please contact Jenna Steiner, AAS, CVT, Jenna.Steiner@CUAnschutz.edu for the instructions, SOPs, and pre-approval of CT studies to your IACUC protocol. Please visit the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee for more information.
MicroCT images from our ongoing studies:
From: Dr. Achim Klug
From: Dr. Raj Kumar
Contact Us
Natalie Serkova, PhD
Core Director
Office: (303) 724-1086
Natalie.Serkova@CUAnschutz.edu
Jenna Steiner, AAS, CVT
Core Manager
Office: (303) 724-2942
Jenna.Steiner@CUAnschutz.edu
Soudabeh Kargar, PhD
Image Analyst
soudabeh.kargar@CUAnschutz.edu
Francis G. Garay
Senior Research Professional
Office: (303) 724-2499
Francis.GarayTriminio@CUAnschutz.edu
Toni T. Mufford, CVT, LATG
Veterinary Technician III
Office: (303) 724-2499
Toni.Mufford@UCDenver.edu
Elena De Schutter, BS
Research Professional
Office: (303) 724-2499
Elena.deschutter@CUAnschutz.edu
Location: RC1N Vivarium, Suite 1, Rm 0443