Considerations for preclinical laboratory animal imaging center design, setup, and management suitable for biomedical investigation for drug discovery

In vivo imaging techniques are rapidly becoming routine procedures for biomedical research and drug/biologics development. Imaging is an outstanding tool for noninvasively testing the response to therapy by examining animals as whole organisms. Many kinds of imaging platforms are now commercially available, and many are optimized for smaller species. Before beginning construction for a centralized in vivo imaging facility, one must first define the requirements and limitations of the facility. The planning should involve laboratory animal veterinarians, investigators, imaging specialists, occupational health specialists, and administrators. Considerations include the animal models of interest, the scientific questions to be addressed, inclusion of radiochemistry (PET/SPECT), select agent use (BSL requirements), logistics and laboratory flow, and personnel safety within the imaging environment. Architects must incorporate functional design into the technical requirements and building aesthetics. The limitless variables prevent the production of a step-by-step imaging center design manual; however, we suggest a foundation of advice learned from our experiences with the National Institutes of Health Mouse Imaging Facility. Magnetic resonance imaging is an infrastructure- dependent platform and is a recommended base to start facility design. The importance of preplanning and clear communications for success cannot be overemphasized.