Mark A. Mintun, M.D. (Director)

DEPARTMENT OF Radiology
Keywords: brain imaging, neuroimaging, clinical research, PET, radiochemistry

We recently created the NINDS Center Core for Brain Imaging (NCCBI) at Washington University. The goal of this Center is to enhance the quality, diversity and utilization of neuroimaging research at our institution through the following specific aims: 1) Neuroscientists with little or no previous imaging experience and minimal access to imaging resources are able to augment their research with new human or animal brain imaging experiments using state-of-the art technologies and analyses; and 2) Neuroscientists with imaging experience and ongoing imaging projects are able to substantially expand the type of imaging measures they obtain, improve the quality of the imaging data, and increase the efficiency of their imaging research. The NCCBI includes two research cores. The Radiochemistry Core’s radiochemistry laboratory enables translational neuroscience research with PET radiotracers. This is achieved through utilization of new space within the cyclotron-radiochemistry facility to support PET research in the neurosciences and construction of automated synthesis systems dedicated to the research needs of the investigators participating in the NCCBI. The Imaging Core provides a broad spectrum of services to increase availability of brain imaging research.