X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT)

X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT)

Benefits of MicroCT Imaging
• Good anatomical imaging of bone, tumor, vascular density (with appropriate contrast agent)
• Quantitative measurements
• High resolution relative to microPET, microSPECT

Ideally Suited For
• Anatomical imaging
• Lung imaging
• Multimodality imaging with microPET or microSPECT to combine functional and anatomical information in a single image

Not Suited For
• Functional imaging

Disadvantages
• Radiation dose to animal
• Poor soft tissue contrast without appropriate contrast agent

X-ray computed tomography (CT) provides high resolution 3-D anatomical imaging. It is particularly useful for imaging bone and fat, but can also provide capabilities for soft-tissue and vascular imaging by the use of suitable contrast agents. Animals can be scanned by PET or SPECT and CT in the same session and the images coregistered to give a single image combining functional PET/SPECT with anatomical CT data.