In-vivo imaging of animal models is the foundation of any state of the art medical research. Recent years have seen an explosion of technological innovations in micro imaging modalities from optical imaging, micro PET, micro CT, micro ultrasound to micro MRI based technologies. Each of these modalities has its own strength and weakness and each serves a particular niche in the research. Micro ultrasound is one of the most versatile and rapid modality for screening of animal models. We propose to acquire an animal micro ultrasound system capable of imaging rodents, rabbits and other small animals. Specifically we intend to acquire the Vevo 2100 micro ultrasound system from Visualsonics. The purpose of this instrument is to allow researchers at our institute to study morphology of disease markers, genetically modified animals, study preclinical drug development or other treatment strategies, detect biomarkers of disease and to develop new ultrasound based contrast agents to study various disease mechanisms. Our research institute currently has one Bruker 9.4 T rodent MRI installed. This system runs almost 24/7 and serves many rodent projects. We have also on order and NCRR funded fully equipped Bruker Biospec 7T 30cm micro MRI to be installed fall 2010. We also operate a Xenogen IVIS200 in-vivo optical scanner which performs bioluminescent and fluorescent scanner under a shared research facility mechanism. All these systems serve the Mount Sinai research community for multiple applications. MRI is a high resolution/contrast imaging modality but requires a relatively long imaging time;optical imaging is fast and targets functional signals at the cellular level but does not have the resolution of MRI and requires slight modification of target cells to incorporate the optical probe. Micro Ultrasound is unique in its ability to obtain high resolution and real time anatomical as well as functional imaging data with high throughput capabilities. We currently have several NIH grants including R01s, P01s, and P50s etc. that involve animal models of disease including cardiovascular, liver, tumor and more. These projects could benefit tremendously from the ability to perform micro ultrasound for rapid screening and other imaging. As a matter of fact, there are several projects at our institute that currently use micro ultrasound in the research but are performed at other institutes because we do not have this modality. Micro ultrasound is so essential in any translational research that most medical research centers or pharmaceutical companies make use of one. Below is a list of laboratories in the neighborhood of our medical center that make use of micro ultrasound: Memorial Sloan Kettering, Regeneron, Rockefeller University, Cold Spring Harbor Lab, Cornell University, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Cornell Medical Center, Yale University, Columbia University, UMDNJ, NYU Downtown and Tuxedo Park, Cooper Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Novartis, University of Rochester,SUNY Stonybrook, Albany Medical College, Novartis, University of Connecticut, Merck Research Labs, Boehringer- Ingelheim, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, ARMGO Pharmaceutical. Public Health Relevance: Animal models of disease are essential in medical research. Micro ultrasound allows researchers with small animal models of disease to rapidly screen them using high resolution morphological imaging (e.g. Tumor growth)or micro vascular blood flow (e.g. Cardiovascular research). Rapid screening allow faster discovery of new treatment strategies.
