Institutional Preconditions for Small Animal Imaging

Abstract

Research with laboratory animal models, in particular, genetically modified rodents like mice and rats, is increasingly recognized as a powerful discovery tool in medical research. One major limitation in the use of experimental animals is often the need to sacrifice the animals to perform blood, tissue, or molecular analysis. This is a major obstacle to observe the biological process under investigation in vivo. Functional, molecular, as well as morphologic quantitative imaging techniques are an important tool for providing data about biochemical, genetic, or pharmacological processes in vivo and repetitively in the same animal. Therefore, the same animals are used as intra-individual controls; this will reduce the standard deviation and will further reduce the number of animals needed per study. This is in line with the three R principles: “Replacement of animal experiments, Reduction of animal experiments, and Refinement of experiments” first described in 1959 by W.M.S. Russell and R.L. Burch (The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique).

• Laboratory animal facility, laboratory animal housing