Madhu Dhar shows how a mouse is placed in the ORNL-developed MicroCAT X-ray computerized tomography system. The device generated images showing the locations of life-threatening fat deposits in the body of a mouse with the newly discovered obesity-related gene. Credit: Curtis Boles/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy
An innovative micro-X-ray computed tomography (micro-CT) system developed at ORNL improved imaging for small-animal preclinical studies, which are key to answering questions about disease and treatments before human clinical trials.
Why it matters:
Developed more than 25 years ago, the system provided 3D internal images for small-animal studies that have helped scientists understand conditions ranging from obesity to osteoporosis to tumor growth. Such studies are often the first step in designing and proving new treatments that improve human health, quality of life, and lifespan. The technology has been incorporated into research equipment still used today.
The innovation:
- The device, which included an automatic organ-recognition algorithm, allowed researchers to screen mice individually and clearly see internal markers of illness, developmental issues, or genetic disorders without sacrificing or dissecting the animals.
- The same mice could be scanned repeatedly to understand tumor growth or the animals’ response to treatment over time.
- ORNL inventors Mike Paulus and Shaun Gleason started a company to license this innovation and develop additional technologies that enhance medical imaging. These include highly detailed detectors for nuclear imaging and two software tools: one to reconstruct medical images, and another combining X-ray images with those produced using a specialized nuclear imaging method called single-photon emission tomography.
Real-world impact:
The inventors’ company, founded in 1998 as ImTek to license the micro-CT technology, was later acquired by a Tier 1 medical imaging company that developed a new family of preclinical imaging systems to accompany its clinical product line. More than 200 of these state-of-the-art systems have been built and sold to drug discovery companies, biotechnology firms, and universities in the United States and worldwide.
The benefits:
- The micro-CT system significantly reduced the time needed to assess the health of each animal being studied. This speeds the rate of discovery while saving money for research institutions and companies using the imaging system.
- ORNL’s micro-CT inventors guided the development of the preclinical imaging field by contributing some of the earliest, most influential publications about micro-CT imaging in preclinical research.
- Applications for micro-CT extend beyond research involving small animals to non-destructive evaluation for examining the size and shape of wood cells or the microstructure of novel materials.
Backed by science:
The technology was developed under the Laboratory Directed Research and Development program at ORNL.
Deep dive:
Read more about the capabilities of the micro-CT device, which ORNL initially dubbed the MicroCAT scanner, as well as the additional instruments and applications that evolved from it.
The big picture:
The use of the preclinical imaging systems incorporating ORNL’s micro-CT technology continues to contribute to hundreds of new discoveries in medical imaging, biology, genotype-to-phenotype linkages and drug therapies.