Rutgers Selects the Albira Preclinical Imaging System from Carestream Molecular Imaging for its New Molecular Imaging Center

Rutgers University has added an Albira PET/CT system from Carestream Molecular Imaging to its new Molecular Imaging Center in Piscataway, N.J.

Located in a specially renovated facility near Rutgers’ Livingston campus, the Molecular Imaging Center now houses the Albira PET/CT, a Carestream In-Vivo MS FX PRO optical imaging system, an MRI system, 3-D displays and other technologies, plus a federally registered holding facility for small animals. The center will support research in basic sciences, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and many other fields.

The Albira purchased by Rutgers is a single system with two imaging modalities: PET (positron emission tomography) and CT (computerized tomography). It is also upgradable to add a third modality: SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography). The Albira system features a unique modular architecture that introduces an exclusive, patented single-crystal detector technology and associated electronics for rapid acquisition and reconstruction of highly resolved quantitative PET and SPECT images. This approach contrasts with the pixelated crystal technology used in most current PET and SPECT systems today.
Albira offers unprecedented sensitivity and resolution allowing scientists to visualize metabolic processes and structures in small living animals.

Rutgers and Carestream have also signed a two-year collaborative agreement. The deal provides Rutgers with the Albira unit plus additional hardware, computer systems, and software. The agreement calls for Rutgers to collaborate with Carestream on product awareness, scientific knowledge exchange and new product innovation. The university’s lab also will become a user demonstration site.

“Scientific knowledge exchange is the most significant aspect of this agreement,” said Patrick J. Sinko, Ph.D., R.Ph., Associate Vice President for Research and Parke-Davis Chair Professor of Pharmaceutics, who developed the center. “This is a major asset for life-sciences research at Rutgers and we’re pleased to provide this service to our faculty.

“We’re also excited about opening our doors to scientists with New Jersey companies and other universities and colleges,” Sinko said. “There are no other imaging facilities in the area that offer the breadth of imaging technologies and faculty expertise in novel imaging approaches and analysis. This strategic partnership means more than just state-of-the-art resources – it’s going to lead the way into the future of research imaging.”