TY - JOUR
T1 - Preclinical imaging studies:
T2 - Protocols, preparation, anesthesia, and animal care
AU - Alstrup, Aage Kristian Olsen
AU - Dollerup, Mie Ringgaard
AU - Simonsen, Mette Irene Theilgaard
AU - Vendelbo, Mikkel
PY - 2023/9
Y1 - 2023/9
N2 - Today preclinical PET imaging connects laboratory research with clinical applications. Here PET clearly bridges the gap, as nearly identical imaging protocols can be applied to both animal and humans. However, some hurdles exist and researchers must be careful, partly because the animals are usually anesthetized during the scans, while human volunteers are awake. This review is based on our own experiences of some of the most important pitfalls and how to overcome them. This includes how studies should be designed, how to select the right anesthesia and monitoring. The choice of anesthesia is quite crucial, as it may have a greater influence on the results than the effect of the tested procedures. Monitoring is necessary, as the animals cannot fully maintain homeostasis during anesthesia, and reliable results are dependent on a stable physiology. Additionally, it is important to note that rodents, in particular, are prone to rapidly becoming hypothermic. Thus, the selection of an appropriate anesthetic and monitoring protocol is crucial for both obtaining accurate results and ensuring animal welfare. Prior to imaging, catheters for tracer administration and, if necessary, blood sampling should be implanted. The administration of tracers should be done in a manner that minimizes interference with the scans, and the same applies to any serial blood sampling. The limited blood volume and organ size of rodents should also be taken into consideration when planning experiments. Finally, if the animal needs to be awakened after the scan, proper care must be taken to ensure their welfare.
AB - Today preclinical PET imaging connects laboratory research with clinical applications. Here PET clearly bridges the gap, as nearly identical imaging protocols can be applied to both animal and humans. However, some hurdles exist and researchers must be careful, partly because the animals are usually anesthetized during the scans, while human volunteers are awake. This review is based on our own experiences of some of the most important pitfalls and how to overcome them. This includes how studies should be designed, how to select the right anesthesia and monitoring. The choice of anesthesia is quite crucial, as it may have a greater influence on the results than the effect of the tested procedures. Monitoring is necessary, as the animals cannot fully maintain homeostasis during anesthesia, and reliable results are dependent on a stable physiology. Additionally, it is important to note that rodents, in particular, are prone to rapidly becoming hypothermic. Thus, the selection of an appropriate anesthetic and monitoring protocol is crucial for both obtaining accurate results and ensuring animal welfare. Prior to imaging, catheters for tracer administration and, if necessary, blood sampling should be implanted. The administration of tracers should be done in a manner that minimizes interference with the scans, and the same applies to any serial blood sampling. The limited blood volume and organ size of rodents should also be taken into consideration when planning experiments. Finally, if the animal needs to be awakened after the scan, proper care must be taken to ensure their welfare.
KW - Anesthesia/methods
KW - Animals
KW - Humans
KW - Positron-Emission Tomography
KW - Research
U2 - 10.1053/j.semnuclmed.2023.02.003
DO - 10.1053/j.semnuclmed.2023.02.003
M3 - Review
C2 - 36858906
SN - 0001-2998
VL - 53
SP - 570
EP - 576
JO - Seminars in Nuclear Medicine
JF - Seminars in Nuclear Medicine
IS - 5
ER -