Small Animal Imaging

The University of Missouri is part of a comprehensive research effort creating new inventions for seeing and treating cancer. A portion of that effort is housed in the lower level of the MITC building, which holds a facility for performing molecular imaging and targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy studies in rodent disease models.

The Small Animal Imaging facility has the equipment to conduct small animal PET, SPECT, CT, and MRI scans. These scans are often the next steps after studying radiotracers in vivo, which takes place in our Radiopharmacology facilities. They are an essential step in developing ways to detect and treat human cancers.

MITC facilities have the space and resources available to do PET, CT, and MRI scans. Alongside investigators, we can perform targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy studies in rodent models. MITC also contains specialized rooms to house radioactive animals. Additionally, we have staff who can perform studies or train staff in other labs to perform parts of current studies.

Companion Animal Imaging

The University of Missouri is part of a comprehensive research effort creating new inventions for seeing and treating cancer. The veterinarians at our center and the animals they work with are helping to better understand and treat disease. Our facility is unique in its dedication to both animals and humans and its full integration into the hospital.

Companion animal cancers are an important model for human cancers, as they are similar conditions that occur through similar means. The same challenges in treating human cancers must be overcome to treat the disease in animal patients. These obstacles can include inflammation or other diseases that make testing a more significant challenge. By developing new methods for companion animals, we can develop better testing and treatment in humans. 

The PET Imaging Center is a dedicated center for companion animals to receive PET scans and other imaging tests, including FDG glucose imaging and CT scans which provide anatomical and functional imaging. Essentially, we can see where cancer is and find what cancer is doing by developing tracers specific to any process you may be wanting to image

This center is available to the public, with a referral from a veterinarian, for imaging and animal cancer treatment. We also have clinical services that see cancer patients Monday through Friday.

Large Animal Imaging

Located in the Veterinary Health Center, a Canon Celesteion PET/CT supports the campus research efforts to develop novel imaging tracers for the study of cancer, neurologic disease, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and plant physiology. This unit can scan animals from rats to large dogs and pigs, humans, plants, and soil samples.

The Celesteion is available for academic and commercial use.

The Imaging Core is an essential component and tool in improving the accuracy and speed of diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

The Veterinary Health Center is also equipped with a dose calibrator and dual Shimadzu HPLC units with radiodetector for plasma/serum analysis. The center is supported by the Comparative Oncology Radiobiology and Epigenetics Laboratory, which houses a Biotek Lionheart FX automated microscope for live-cell imaging. These resources are part of the larger Linnerson Imaging Center that also houses a Canon Aquilion One 640 slice CT with 4D, cardiac gating, respiratory gating capability, and Canon 3T MRI.

Joni Lunceford, NMT, operates the scanner and coordinates these studies. Dr. Jeffrey Bryan directs the center.

Imaging Core equipment can also be used for research pigs, which are good for big disease models. The University of Missouri is home to the National Swine Research Resource Center (NSRRC), the only swine resource facility of its type in the Western Hemisphere.

The NSRRC is an important resource for the further investigation of a large number of human diseases.