Research Unit

Non-invasive in vivo medical imaging for small animal research

Research disciplines
  • Social sciences
    • Neuroimaging
  • Medical and health sciences
    • Nuclear imaging
    • Nuclear imaging
    • Nuclear imaging
  • Engineering and technology
    • Biomedical image processing
    • Biomedical instrumentation
    • Data visualisation and imaging
Description
INFINITY (INnovative Flemish IN vivo Imaging TechnologY) is the expertise center of Ghent University for non-invasive in vivo medical imaging for small animal research. The mission of INFINITY is to provide state-of-the-art preclinical medical imagingas a service to facilitate translation of research from in vitro tests to laboratory animal investigations and clinical practice. Our mission is to bridge the gap between the world of microscopic imaging and clinical imaging. This enables the evaluation of novel imaging biomarkers, novel tracers, novel drugs, novel biological concepts, and disease phenotyping using living laboratory animal models. INFINITY provides access to the whole spectrum of medical imaging devices that are routinely used in hospitals but optimized for laboratory animal work. The following preclinical imaging technologies are available: ultrasound (US), X-ray imaging, Computer Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT). In addition, there is also a device available for bioluminescent and fluorescent imaging, and a platform for radiation treatment of laboratory animals similar to radiotherapy in humans. All these instruments are designed for living subjects, so repeated measurements can be performed that provide longitudinal data in the same subject, reducing the number of animals required for such studies. The strength of INFINITY is that all these preclinical devices are available in adjacent rooms, facilitating multimodality imaging strategies. The lab is located at the campus of Ghent University Hospital. Support from our engineers enables flexible, fast and more advanced data processing and analysis, greatly accelerating the development of novel imaging biomarkers and therapeutic strategies.