Rodent MRI Imaging System

Added: Oct 07, 2015 8:18 am The VA Office of Research and Development, San Francisco VA Medical Center Research Department requires an animal imaging system for their research office. The requested item must meet or exceed the Bruker Biospin Icon® 1T IN-VIVO SMALL ANIMAL MRI SYSTEM model, Bruker model number IAP1T. The purpose of this system is to provide advanced capabilities for San Francisco VAMC investigators conducting animal-related research. This Bruker system does not require any special infrastructure and can be housed in a standard lab with a standard power source. The system includes the following salient characteristics:





Salient Characteristics



1. The ability to measure the internal anatomy of rodents using magnetic resonance imaging.

2. Uses a permanent magnet that does not require maintenance such as regular refilling of the magnet with coolant.

3. Uses a self-shielded low-field magnet that is suitable for housing in regular laboratory space, without the need for installation of magnetic containment barriers.

4. High resolution imaging of rodent organ systems.

5. High resolution imaging of all four chambers of the mouse heart.

6. Cine-MRI of the mouse heart (i.e. formation of a video imaging sequence of a beating mouse heart).

7. Gated MRI imaging of mouse heart. Acquisition of MRI data that is timed (gated) to the cardiac cycle.

8. Functional measurements of cardiac contraction parameters of the mouse heart, including: ejection fraction, cardiac output, heart rate, end-systolic volume, end-diastolic volume, and cardiac mass.

9. The system must be compact with a small foot-print to easily fit on lab bench space.

10. Integrated animal handling system for anesthesia of rodents.

11. MRI coils for head and body for both mouse and rat.

12. This must be a completely finished and fully-working system. This shall not be a system that still is in development and lacks critical capabilities.

13. System shall be supported by a well-developed technical support service that is readily accessible.





This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals, however; any responsible source who believes it is capable of meeting the requirement may submit a capability statement to the contracting office no later than October 13, 2015, (3:00PM, EST). Interest/capability statements may be sent to Travis Gibbons at travis.gibbons@va.gov. No telephone responses will be accepted.