Human PET/CT scanners: feasibility for oncological in vivo imaging in mice

PET/CT imaging is a highly valuable oncological imaging modality. The combination of positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) provides the ability to accurately register molecular and metabolic aspects of cancers with anatomical and morphological findings in human clinical routine examinations and for animals in vivo research. Small animal models of mice are widely used in biomedical research for mimicking and studying the human nature, because of their genetic resemblance and the feasibility of gene transfer and gene modification. The recent generation of high performance human PET/CT scanners combines a state of the art full-ring 3D PET scanner and a high-end 16-slice CT scanner (biograph Sensation 16, Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany). Small animals can be examined with special scanning and reconstruction protocols. The examination of tumor-bearing small animals using a modern human PET/CT revealed excellent image quality. CT can be performed with a maximum spatial resolution of 0.6 x 0.6 x 0.6 mm and PET with a maximum spatial resolution of 6.3 x 6.3 x 6.0 mm. The examination of tumor-bearing small animals using human PET/CT allowed accurate correlation and evaluation of metabolic and anatomical information and is promising for in vivo research purposes. Although image quality is limited by spatial resolution, human PET/CT is widely available and expected to contribute significantly to research with small animal imaging. The investigation of cancer in small animals with PET/CT is probably one of the most challenging tasks in nuclear medicine for the evaluation of tumor growth and growth inhibition factors; development of new anti-tumor drugs and measuring of anti-tumor effects; and cancer treatment response of immunotherapy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.