The University of Queensland’s Centre for Advanced Imaging (CAI) houses a comprehensive range of imaging technologies and expertise to enable novel small and large animal research. Molecular imaging encompasses nuclear medicine and a suite of complementary modalities that provide different mechanisms for generating biological images. Nuclear medicine uses radiolabelled molecules (radiotracers) that emit signals via radioactive decay. Other molecules may be used to produce signals via sound (ultrasound), magnetism (magnetic resonance imaging – MRI), or light (optical techniques such as bioluminescence and fluorescence).
The Centre’s preclinical imaging systems offer advanced capabilities for imaging cells, tissues, and small animals, enabling multi-modal investigations. The primary focus of CAI's animal imaging facilities includes structural, functional, and molecular imaging in live animals, fixed tissues, or materials. Imaging platforms are housed within a PC2 facility with integrated animal holding, anaesthetic delivery, and tissue/sample preparation infrastructure.
A unique strength of CAI is its radiochemistry facility, which supports the development and production of radiotracers for PET and SPECT imaging. Researchers have access to state-of-the-art radiochemistry laboratories, including hot cells, synthesis modules, and quality control equipment. This enables the design and translation of novel radiolabelled compounds tailored for molecular imaging studies.
In contrast to conventional anatomical or physiological imaging, in vivo molecular imaging characterises and monitors biological processes at the cellular and molecular levels. CAI provides expertise and instrumentation for PET, SPECT, Computed Tomography (CT), MRI, optical imaging (fluorescence and bioluminescence), as well as radiobiology and radiotracer development.
Access to the CAI animal imaging facilities is available on a fee basis.
Expert staff at CAI offer the following services:
- Planning for in vivo projects
- Animal anaesthesia and other in vivo techniques
- Holding rooms for radioactive and non-radioactive animals
- Production, preparation and formulation of radiopharmaceuticals
- MR coils for imaging of mouse and rat head and body
- Reconstruction and analysis of static or dynamic image data
- Kinetic modelling of dynamic image data
- Biodistribution studies
- Autoradiography
For more information about using our facilities at CAI, please contact the relevant facility staff detailed in the Project Form or email the Molecular Imaging Facility Manager.
The PET/CT Si78 features homogeneous, high resolution, and quantitative PET/CT imaging of mice (up to 4 mice in one imaging session) and rats with a large field of view of 80 x 150 mm (one bed position). The PET scanner is equipped with Lyso scintillation crystals with silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) providing up to 0.7 mm spatial resolution, up to 12% sensitivity and an energy resolution <17% with an ultrafast GPU reconstruction (MLEM, OSEM, and MAP). The scanner provides low dose, fast CT scans for longitudinal studies with a resolution of approximately 50 µm. The PET scanner uses molecular imaging probes labelled with positrons-emitting radionuclides produced by a cyclotron (i.e. 
The Si SPECT/CT features adaptive SPECT FOV from 25 mm to 120 mm (in one single bed position), with quantitative imaging of up to 4 mice in one imaging session.
The X-CUBE (CT) and ɣ-CUBE (SPECT) are benchtop scanners from Molecubes. The scanners are designed to work both as stand-alone units and in modular combinations. The X-CUBE is a high throughput CT allowing for fast whole body mouse (up to 3 mice in one imaging session) and rat CT imaging at extremely low dose and excellent soft tissue contrast. Advanced workflows, such as gated and dynamic contrast enhanced imaging, body composition analysis can be achieved in a functional and integrated setup. Axial FOV (37mm/1 bed) and Transaxial FOV (65mm), resolution of 50 μm. The γ-CUBE is a high-sensitivity, high-resolution SPECT imager for whole body mouse (up to 3 mice in one imaging session) and rat imaging. All common SPECT-labelled therapeutic and diagnostic imaging tracers can be imaged. Axial FOV 6 mm(m) and 15 mm (r), transaxial FOV 35/60 mm (m/r), resolution < 500 µm (m) / < 1mm (r), Peak sensitivity 1.2 / 0.12 / 0.05 % (HS mouse, GP mouse, GP rat collimators) and energy resolution < 11 %.
The Bruker Biospec MRI scanner consists of a 9.4 Tesla, 300 mm ultrashield refrigerated 30 cm magnet interfaced to a scalable Bruker Avance III spectrometer that allows unparalleled flexibility for MRI scanning of small and medium sized research animals and other samples.