title: Small animal imaging center design: the facility at the UCLA Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The growing number of mouse and rat experiments, coupled with advances in small-animal imaging systems such as microPET, optical, microCAT, microMR, ultrasound and microSPECT, has necessitated a common technical center for imaging small animals.
  
  
  METHODS
  At the UCLA Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, we have designed and built a facility to support the research interests of a wide range of investigators from multiple disciplines. Requirements to satisfy both research and regulatory oversight have been critically examined. Support is provided for investigator training, study scheduling, data acquisition, archiving, image display, and analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The center has been in operation for more than 18 months, supporting more than 13,000 individual imaging procedures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have created a facility that maximizes our resource utilization while providing optimal investigator support, as well as the means to continually improve the quality and diversity of the science by integrating physical and biological sciences.
authors.affiliation: Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. dstout@mednet.ucla.edu
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Stout
authors.forename: Arion F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Chatziioannou
authors.forename: Timothy P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.forename: Sanjiv S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Gambhir
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Phelps
mesh_terms: D000047:Academies and Institutes / Q000639:trends*; D000818:Animals; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001345:Autoradiography; D002140:California; D003201:Computers; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D006799:Housing, Animal; D020407:Internet; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D051381:Rats; D014495:Universities