CT imaging facility

Computed Tomography is used in several fashions at MGH-CMIR. It is used as a stand alone device for tumor and lesion detection, angiography, and various diagnoses such as myocardial infarction and bone degeneration. It is also used in combination with Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), and fluorescence (FMT) imaging modalities to provide an anatomical framework for registration with the functional data.

Siemens Inveon PET-CT

The primary CT system is part of the Siemens Inveon PET-CT, utilizing CCD technology that allows the highest available signal-to-noise ratio, and fiber optics that permit the highest efficiency light collection. It has 2,048 x 3,072 detectors, a FOV of up to 11 x 8.5 cm, a spatial resolution of 40 micron isotropic voxels, and can scan an entire mouse in less than 5 min.

The Inveon has characterized bone structure, for example, examining osteolysis in cancer, and has also quantified mineral densities in transgenic mouse models. The Inveon also frequently provides anatomical CT reference images for other modalities, such as in bi-modal FMT-CT data sets or 3D virtual histology.

GammaMedica X-SPECT

A second systems is housed within the XSPECT / XO system. It is a 50 kVp, 1.0 mA, fixed anode and air cooled x-ray tube with a 2 inch by 2 inch (48 um pitch) solid state detector (1024 x 1024 array).

GammaMedica X-PET

The third CT system is contained within the XPET / XO system. It has a 80 kVp, 0.6 mA, fixed anode and air cooled x-ray tube with a 4.72 inch by 4.72 inch (50 um pitch) solid state dectector (2048 x 2048 array). The later system is capable of imaging an entire mouse in less than a minute.