Nuclear Medicine and Biology
Volume 37, Issue 3 , Pages 245-253, April 2010

MONICA: a compact, portable dual gamma camera system for mouse whole-body imaging☆☆☆

  • Wenze Xi

      Affiliations

    • Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)-Frederick, Frederick, MD, USA
    • Molecular Imaging Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1088, USA
    • ,
  • Jurgen Seidel

      Affiliations

    • Molecular Imaging Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1088, USA
    • Contractor to SAIC-Frederick, Frederick, MD, USA
    • ,
  • John W. Kakareka

      Affiliations

    • Signal Processing and Instrumentation Section, Division of Computational Bioscience, Center for Information Technology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
    • ,
  • Thomas J. Pohida

      Affiliations

    • Signal Processing and Instrumentation Section, Division of Computational Bioscience, Center for Information Technology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
    • ,
  • Diane E. Milenic

      Affiliations

    • Radioimmune & Inorganic Chemistry Section, Radiation Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
    • ,
  • James Proffitt

      Affiliations

    • Adaptive I/O Technologies, Blacksburg, VA, USA
    • ,
  • Stan Majewski

      Affiliations

    • Department of Radiology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
    • ,
  • Andrew G. Weisenberger

      Affiliations

    • Radiation Detectors and Imaging Group, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA, USA
    • ,
  • Michael V. Green

      Affiliations

    • Molecular Imaging Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1088, USA
    • Contractor to SAIC-Frederick, Frederick, MD, USA
    • ,
  • Peter L. Choyke

      Affiliations

    • Molecular Imaging Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1088, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +1 301 402 8409; fax: +1 301 402 3191.

Received 28 September 2009; received in revised form 2 December 2009; accepted 3 December 2009.

Abstract 

Introduction

We describe a compact, portable dual-gamma camera system (named “MONICA” for MObile Nuclear Imaging CAmeras) for visualizing and analyzing the whole-body biodistribution of putative diagnostic and therapeutic single photon emitting radiotracers in animals the size of mice.

Methods

Two identical, miniature pixelated NaI(Tl) gamma cameras were fabricated and installed “looking up” through the tabletop of a compact portable cart. Mice are placed directly on the tabletop for imaging. Camera imaging performance was evaluated with phantoms and field performance was evaluated in a weeklong In-111 imaging study performed in a mouse tumor xenograft model.

Results

Tc-99m performance measurements, using a photopeak energy window of 140 keV±10%, yielded the following results: spatial resolution (FWHM at 1 cm), 2.2 mm; sensitivity, 149 cps (counts per seconds)/MBq (5.5 cps/μCi); energy resolution (FWHM, full width at half maximum), 10.8%; count rate linearity (count rate vs. activity), r2=0.99 for 0–185 MBq (0–5 mCi) in the field of view (FOV); spatial uniformity, <3% count rate variation across the FOV. Tumor and whole-body distributions of the In-111 agent were well visualized in all animals in 5-min images acquired throughout the 168-h study period.

Conclusion

Performance measurements indicate that MONICA is well suited to whole-body single photon mouse imaging. The field study suggests that inter-device communications and user-oriented interfaces included in the MONICA design facilitate use of the system in practice. We believe that MONICA may be particularly useful early in the (cancer) drug development cycle where basic whole-body biodistribution data can direct future development of the agent under study and where logistical factors, e.g., limited imaging space, portability and, potentially, cost are important.

Keywords: MONICA, Small animal imaging, Cancer drug development, Mouse whole-body imaging, Miniature gamma cameras, Single photon imaging

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☆ Animal Care: Animal care was provided in accordance with the procedures outlined in the “Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals” (National Research Council; 1996; National Academy Press; Washington, D.C.).

☆☆ Financial support: This project has been funded in whole or in part with federal funds from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, under contract HHSN261200800001E. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

PII: S0969-8051(09)00293-5

doi:10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2009.12.003

Nuclear Medicine and Biology
Volume 37, Issue 3 , Pages 245-253, April 2010

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