ACRF Cancer Imaging Facility

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Home » Research » Labs » Centres & Facilities » ACRF Cancer Imaging Facility

Home > Research > Labs > Centres & Facilities > ACRF Cancer Imaging Facility

OVERVIEW

The ACRF Cancer Imaging Facility is a state of the art facility providing high resolution, non-invasive, in vivo preclinical imaging. The facility is ideally co-located on the QEII campus, close to the Departments of Medical Imaging and Nuclear Medicine as well as the SCGH cyclotron, which has the capacity to provide a wide range of radiopharmaceuticals used in routine clinical imaging and research. The facility is available to researchers all over Western Australia, as well as Interstate and International Researchers.

The team comprises a small group of highly trained and experienced doctors, technologists and medical physicists who specialise in medical imaging and have extensive experience in clinical as well preclinical imaging. Additionally the facility has a care technician with many years of preclinical experience.

SERVICES

The Cancer Imaging Facility is a comprehensive facility offering anatomical as well as functional imaging including microMagnetic Resonance Imaging scanner (microMRI), a hybrid microPositron Emission Tomography/X-ray Computed Tomography scanner (microPET/CT), a hybrid Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography/CT scanner (microSPECT/CT), together with additional cutting-edge confocal fluorescent imaging equipment which will be further developed by CMCA. All modalities are conveniently located in the same suite allowing for multiple scans to be performed simultaneously or concurrently. The applications include (but are not limited to) oncology, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and neurological imaging.

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging is a non-ionising radiation modality with high contrast resolution that can be utilised to obtain excellent images of brain, solid organs and soft tissues. Specialised sequences including fluid and fat sensitive sequences, diffusion weighted imaging and vascular imaging are available and can be performed with cardiac and/or respiratory gating if required. Recent and ongoing projects include imaging in models of hepatosteatosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, breast, prostate and pancreatic cancer.

PET/CT

Positron emission tomography combined with high resolution anatomical computed tomography (CT) images are available for functional particularly metabolic imaging in oncology and neuroimaging.

MicroPET/CT system:

Mediso nanoPET/CT, Mediso Medical Imaging Systems, Budapest, Hungary
Axial field of view (FOV): 28 cm
PET spatial resolution: 1.02 mm (axial cFOV, FWHM)
CT spatial resolution: <30μm at 10% modulation transfer function (MTF)

Through our collaboration with the Department of Medical Technology and Physics at QEII, the facility has access to a wide range of ¹⁸F- and ¹¹C-labelled radiotracers which are produced on site for clinical imaging and research.

¹⁸F-FDG for imaging glucose metabolism,
¹⁸F-NaF a bone seeking tracer for imaging skeletal abnormalities,
¹⁸F-Fluorocholine for imaging cellular membrane phospholipids

Others available upon consultation with CIF and Department of Medical Technology and Physics.

Charges

The facility has a fee structure which can be based on an hourly rate or fixed priced package depending on the scale and complexity of the project. New projects are welcomed. Pilot studies can be performed for a minimal cost. Imaging charges include consultation and advice about incorporating imaging into your research project, planning and performing the imaging, and help and advice with quantitative and qualitative analysis of the images.

TEAM

The team comprises a small group of highly trained and experienced doctors, technologists and medical physicists who specialise in medical imaging and have extensive experience in clinical as well preclinical imaging. Additionally the facility includes an animal care technician with many years of preclinical experience.

Radiologist and Nuclear Medicine Specialist

Our Radiologist and Nuclear Medicine specialist is the inaugural Perth Radiological Clinic Associate in Translational Imaging, a position established by the PerthRadClinic Foundation to help scientists optimise research conducted in the high-end cancer imaging facility located at the Perkins.

Nuclear Medicine/PET Technologists

Our Nuclear Medicine/PET technologists have over 20 years of experience in the clinical setting, and over 4 years in preclinical imaging. They maintain their roles in clinical imaging at the Nuclear Medicine/WA PET Service at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital on the QEII campus, in addition to providing the preclinical Nuclear Medicine/PET service.

MRI Medical Imaging Technologist

Our MRI Technologist has been a Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Radiology Department employee since 1985, graduating with a Diploma of Applied Science in Diagnostic Radiography. The MRI Technologist liaises closely with the MR Solutions team to develop new imaging sequences for use in the CIF.