Combined small-animal imaging device (PET/SPECT/CT)

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: Funded in 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 460921835

A combined small-animal imaging scanner for positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography is requested. Both imaging modalities allow the quantitative and qualitative three-dimensional visualization of disease-specific molecular processes on the molecular level in the living organism. No other imaging modality can provide this important information. PET/SPECT imaging allows the repetitive investigation of complex molecular processes, thus contributing to the understanding of several diseases such cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, cardio-vascular diseases, bone metabolism, etc. In combination with the computed tomography (CT), this molecular information can be correlated with anatomical datasets. Such imaging modalities are neither available at the Saarland University nor at the University Hospital. As can be seen from the application, there is a great interest of a broad spectrum of research groups for both imaging modalities. To strengthen the research location at Saarland University, the availability of a PET/SPECT imaging is therefore of great importance.A combined PET/SPECT system allows the application of the entire spectrum of all radionuclides, which is tremendous significance for the realization of envisaged research projects as the majority of projects require gamma- as well as positronemitter.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Kombiniertes Gerät für die Kleintierbildgebung (PET/SPECT/CT)
• Instrumentation Group: 3321 Positronen-Emissionstomographen (PET)
• Applicant Institution: Universität des Saarlandes
• Leader: Professor Dr. Samer Ezziddin