Imaging technologies for preclinical models of bone and joint disorders

EJNMMI Research

Table 1 Main features of current imaging modalities for in vivo preclinical musculoskeletal research

Imaging modality	Resolution	Sensitivity	Imaging time	Application	Radiation	Detection depth of view	Limitations
Micro-CT	10 μm	m-cmol	Seconds to minutes	Excellent contrast for mineralized tissue	X-rays	No limit	Radiation exposure
				Mostly anatomical imaging			Long acquisition times
MRI	50 to 100 μm	μ-mmol	Minutes to hours	Excellent contrast tissue resolution -anatomical and functional Imaging	No	No limit	High investment infrastructure and running cost
							Long acquisition time
							Expert operator
PET	1 to 2 mm	p-nmol	Minutes	Functional imaging	Gamma radiation	No limit	Short half-life PET tracer (requirement cyclotron unit)
							High cost of tracers
							High investment infrastructure
SPECT	<1 mm	p-nmol	Minutes	Tomographic functional imaging	Gamma radiation	No limit	Limited sensitivity
							High investment infrastructure
Fluorescent (optical imaging)	1 to 2 mm	p-nmol	Seconds to minutes	Functional imaging	Fluorescent emission	<1 to 10 cm	Not translated into clinical modality
Bioluminescence (optical imaging)	1 to 2 mm	p-nmol	Seconds to minutes	Functional imaging	Light emission	<10 cm	Not translated into clinical modality
							Injection of substrate