microCT model: SkyScan1278

The SKYSCAN 1278 is a high throughput, stand-alone, desktop in vivo micro-CT for scanning small laboratory animals (mice, rats, ...).

The large image field of view (up to 80 mm wide and 200 mm long) allows full body mouse scanning with a single camera field of view. Variable X-Ray energy combined with a range of filters ensures optimal image quality for diverse research applications including pneumology, cardiology and body composition analysis. The system can perform scanning with continuous gantry rotation and in step-and-shoot mode with scanning cycles down to 7.2 sec.

Furthermore, the SKYSCAN 1278 in vivo micro-CT administers a low radiation dose to the animals allowing multiple scans in longitudinal preclinical studies without the risk of unwanted radiation - induced side effects. The fully integrated physiological monitoring package allows monitoring and controlling the animal's wellbeing at all times through a video stream, ECG, temperature and breathing detection.

The SKYSCAN 1276 is complemented by 3D.SUITE. This extensive software suite covers GPU-accelerated reconstruction, 2D/ 3D morphological analysis, as well as surface and volume rendering visualization.

The SkyScan 1278 is supplied with exchangeable animal cassettes that can be used in all Bruker in-vivo imaging instruments for co-registration of functional and morphological information from the same animal. The cassettes are equipped with face mask and tubes for anaesthetic gas as well as with connectors for ECG electrodes and a temperature sensor. All tubes and contacts are combined to a single connector, which can be attached to or detached from the animal transport system by simple turn of a small slider. To prevent leakage of anaesthetic gas, corresponding connections have valves which stay closed if the animal cassette is disconnected from the animal transport system.

The user interface of the SkyScan1278 system is simple and intuitive. The instrument can be controlled from the computer screen and also from the embedded force-sensitive touchscreen, which can be operated by gloved hands. The touchscreen allows selection of scanning protocol, adjusting animal bed position and control of imaging and scanning. Where multiple animal scans are started from the touchscreen, the software will automatically save acquired data to separate subfolders with incrementally assigned folder names and dataset file prefixes.

The SkyScan1278 control software includes a real-time on-screen dose meter. It indicates an estimation of the dose absorbed by the animal body during scanning. The measurement is based on the absorption calculated from X-ray projection images of the animal cross-calibrated with electronic dosimeter measurements. The dose meter shows accumulated dose or dose rate. It is calibrated for X-ray absorption in the standard mouse and rat cassettes. In this way it measures the X-ray dose absorbed in animal body itself during scanning. The dose absorbed by the animal during a scan is documented in the scan log-file together with all scan and reconstruction settings.

The physiological monitoring system includes video monitoring of an animal with real-time movement detection, ECG and breathing detection, and temperature stabilization. A 5 megapixel color camera is mounted above the animal bed along with white LED illumination to introduce a real-time image of the animal during the scan. The software analyses the video stream from a user-selected area of the image where breathing movement is visible. These movements are converted into a movement waveform to provide breathing time marks for time-resolved reconstructions. The face mask on the animal bed is connected to an air/gas flow sensor for direct breathing detection. The ECG electrodes in the animal cassette are connected to a sensitive ECG amplifier. Both breathing and ECG signals are digitized and displayed as real-time profiles on-screen. The monitoring also includes temperature stabilization by heated airflow, which maintains the scanned animal at a selected temperature, to prevent cooling of the animal under anaesthesia.

Calculating and visualizing body composition of the mouse or rat is easily accomplished in just a few steps. No additional contrast agent is needed to analyze body fat as it is one of the naturally occurring x-ray densities in the body, the others being lean tissue, lung tissue and bone. With the SKYSCAN 1278 body tissue composition analysis can be highly automated and high-throughput, suitable for genetic screening.

• Fastest scan of only 7.2 seconds and streamlined operation makes high throughput of mice or rats easy to obtain. Optimized filters and voltages ensure the least possible radiation dose.
• Physiological monitoring is design-central in SKYSCAN in vivo scanners, not an add-on. High quality video, breathing monitoring by video-movement and pressure, ECG and thermostat-controlled warming, with a port for external physiological instrumentation.
• Advanced animal cassettes connected for full physiological monitoring and anesthesia provision yet detachable with a single locking button – the universal Bruker in vivo bed.
• Full in-house software solution for tissue segmentation and 3D analysis, 3D registration of sequential scans to map progression with growth and time.

The SKYSCAN 1278 is a versatile lung imaging solution for both mouse and rat. Rat lungs are imaged in a single scan FOV thanks to the large and fast cMOS flat panel x-ray camera. The scanner and accompanying software provide sharply time-gated lung images in short scan times with safe levels of ionizing radiation. As with all SKYSCAN in vivo scanners, physiological monitoring is integrated at the heart of the instrument, with the welfare of the scanned animal the top priority.

• Physiological monitoring is design-central in SKYSCAN in vivo scanners, not an add-on. High quality video, breathing monitoring by video-movement and pressure, ECG and thermostat-controlled warming, with a port for external physiological instrumentation.
• Advanced animal cassettes connected for full physiological monitoring and anesthesia provision yet detachable with a single locking button – the universal Bruker in vivo bed. A large carbon fiber bed for rats is included. Support for third party devices such as ventilators (e.g. Scireq FlexiventTM).
• Comprehensive time-gating solutions: prospective and retrospective, time and image based intrinsic gating. Continuous rotation available for fast low-dose gated scanning.
• Full in-house software solution for lung function analysis in 4D: tidal volume, lung volume and HU density for pathology assessment, lung tumor morphometric segmentation, 3D registration of sequential scans to map disease progression, auto-separation of lung from other animal tissues in CT-Analyser software.

The SKYSCAN 1278 is a versatile cardiac imaging solution for both mouse and rat. The rat heart and lungs are imaged in a single scan FOV thanks to the large and fast cMOS flat panel x-ray camera. The scanner and accompanying software provide sharply time-gated cardiac, lung and dual (cardiac-lung gated) images in short scan times with safe levels of ionizing radiation. As with all SKYSCAN in vivo scanners, physiological monitoring is at the heart of the instrument, with the welfare of the animal the top priority.

• High quality video, breathing monitoring by video-movement and pressure, ECG and thermostat-controlled warming. External access to the scan chamber for ducts including capillary tubes (continuous injection).
• Advanced animal cassettes connected for full physiological monitoring and anesthesia provision yet detachable with a single locking button – the universal Bruker in vivo bed. A large carbon fiber bed for rats. Support for third party devices such as ventilators (e.g. Scireq FlexiventTM).
• Comprehensive time-gating solutions: prospective and retrospective, time and image based intrinsic gating. Continuous rotation available for fast low-dose gated scanning.
• Full in-house software solution for cardiac function analysis in 4D: ejection volume, other cardiac chambers and aorta, time-analysis of cardiac wave-train including regularity and fractality, with flexible segmentation and analysis of the cardiac cycle in CT-Analyser software.

credit: https://www.bruker.com/en/products-and-solutions/preclinical-imaging/micro-ct/skyscan-1278.html