Small Animal Imaging Center

The Yale microCT facility was established in 2008 through a shared instrument grant from NIH. The ScanCo MicroCT 35 machine is currently located in TAC S-138 and managed by Meiling Zhu.

The machine features extremely high resolution, with the capacity to resolve structures down to 3.5 microns and provide fine structural images at the level of individual trabeculae. A variety of sized holders can be placed in the machine, and we are able to analyze both soft and hard tissues, including rat and mouse bones and segments of larger bones.

The majority of scientists access the machine to examine either rat or mouse bones, so we have devised template reports to reflect that, anticipating that the majority of users are interesting in analyzing either vertebral bones or femurs. In the femur, we analyze distal femur for trabecular and cortical bone. Our general report includes images at 7 microns that display a cross section of the whole bone to allow investigators to get some sense of the size and shape of their bones and the relative amount of cortex and trabecular bone present. An abstracted summary of the critical parameters, both cortical and trabecular, are included in the report, as well as a graphic summary of those changes that were most significantly different. A third tab on the report form includes all of the parameters acquired by the instrument.

All specimens should be submitted using the microCT Submission Form. Samples can be sent to:

Meiling Zhu MD
Internal Medicine Endocrinology
One Gilbert Street, Room TAC S-130
New Haven, CT 06519
Telephone: 203-785-4880 (o); 203-499-8226 (c)

On campus, samples can be dropped off in our cold room, S-136A, if they are accompanied by a completed form, including Cost Center charging instructions and a full description of the items to be analyzed, PI contact information, etc. If you plan to drop off material for microCT analysis, please be sure to email Josh VanHouten to let him know the material is ready for analysis in the cold room.

In order to maintain this facility, and cover the increasing expense of the service contract and COLA for staff, we charge for our services (see below). Costs for other special imaging modalities can be arranged on an individual basis, depending on the amount of machine time required. It is vitally important that appropriate charging instructions be included with the samples. We will not be able to process samples without this information.

Please note that our rates are updated (and increase) each fiscal year, in August.

Dr. Insogna is available on a consultative basis to help interpret your data, if needed.

Internal customers:
Micro CT Scans of one bone (femur, paw, tibia, or L3) = $85
Micro CT scan of one whole calvaria = $220
Micro CT scan of one C-spine = $240
Micro CT scan of one spine = $385
Micro C scan of one neonatal (<21 day old) mouse, whole body = $440

External, non-profit, customers:
Micro CT Scans of one bone (femur, paw, tibia, or L3) = $95
Micro CT scan of one whole calvaria = $250
Micro CT scan of one C-spine = $270
Micro CT scan of one spine = $435
Micro C scan of one neonatal (<21 day old) mouse, whole body = $498

External, for-profit, customers:
Micro CT Scans of one bone (femur, paw, tibia, or L3) = $125
Micro CT scan of one whole calvaria = $330
Micro CT scan of one C-spine = $360
Micro CT scan of one spine = $580
Micro C scan of one neonatal (<21 day old) mouse, whole body = $680

Purchased with funding from Yale University’s Core Facilities Request for Equipment Replacement and Upgrade Program, the UltraFocus digital x-ray cabinet by Faxitron® allows researchers to precisely quantify body fat, muscle, and mineralized tissue content in animal models. The UltraFocus machine is the first of its kind at Yale School of Medicine (YSM).

This technology helps investigators across Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, Orthopaedics, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pathology, Immunobiology, and Developmental Biology and others to obtain non-invasive, precise measurements of regional and total body bone mass and lean/fat mass measurements in small animals used in research.

The instrument is located in TAC S-126 and managed by Meiling Zhu, in the Insogna lab. Dr. Insogna is available to help with study design and sample size estimation as needed.

Researchers across YSM and Yale University are welcome to take advantage of this technology. In order to maintain this machinery, and cover the expense of service contracts and maintenance, the Section of Endocrinology & Metabolism has developed a cost-recovery program. Fees are updated each fiscal year, in August:

$35 for in vivo body composition/BMD
$36 for in vivo whole body radiograph and specific bone/region radiograph (additional images $6/ea)
$30 for ex vivo isolated bones (up to ten)

If you are planning to include DXA scans in a grant proposal budget, please contact Dr. Insogna to confirm costs.

Please print the UltraFocus Invoice Form, fill in the information, and email it to meiling.zhu@yale.edu to schedule a scan time. You will be responsible for anesthesia on site.