Center for Clinical Imaging Research

Our Mission

The Center for Clinical Imaging Research (CCIR) will serve an integrated function, both interdisciplinary and interdepartmentally across the University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota Physicians, and Fairview communities.

The goal for the CCIR is to establish the Center as a research laboratory facility that inspires a spirit of enthusiasm and invention for new, innovative ways to treat patients through the creative advancement of imaging. With the use of advanced technology and newly developed methodologies, patient protocols can be created and used to accelerate progress toward improved ways of practicing medicine and toward a renewed health benefit for our community.

An essential part of CCIR’s mission is to provide access to its unique instrumentation, technical expertise, and support team through service and collaboration. The objective is to enable faculty, trainees, and staff at the University of Minnesota, and the greater biomedical research community to carry out basic translational and clinical research.

Services Offered

Building on the history of the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) and the University of Minnesota Medical School, along with the faculty of University of Minnesota Physicians, CCIR has a well-established diagnostic imaging environment where physicians collaborate with expert physicists and sub-specialized radiologists to obtain critical imaging results. Our special services include MR coil design, novel molecular imaging agents created with on-site cyclotron, consistent protocol-specific quantitative imaging, and specialized post-processing. Available modalities are computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET) and PET-CT combination, as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), located within CMRR.

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PET/CT

The PET/CT at CCIR is a Siemens Biograph mCT with a 64-slice CT flow motion scanner and 3D PET TrueV wide detector. TrueV widens the axial field of view (FOV) to increase performance by approximately 78% allowing for a reduction in scan time or dose rates. Shorter scan time increases patient comfort which translates to minimal patient movement. Reduced patient movement improves image quality. Flow Motion reduces CT exposure, scan time and personalizes patient care.

The Siemens Biograph mCT PET/CT scanner housed in the CCIR is one of the most advanced scanners in the state of Minnesota. With the Siemens Biograph mCT PET/CT, we are able to create images for a number of medical indications:

Cardiac Ammonia Stress Testing
Cardiac Sarcoidosis Studies
Cardiac Viability Studies
Oncology Studies
Whole body scanning with one complete pass
Clinical Scans
Research Studies
Axumin Prostate Imaging

The CCIR has an onsite cyclotron, operated by PETNET Solutions. PETNET Is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. that is FDA certified and adheres to current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP). The facility is capable of producing a number of commonly used radioisotopes.

MRI

We have two Siemens 3T Prisma MRI scanners and one Siemens 7T Terra MRI scanner housed in CMRR. All scanners serve a large community of clinicians and investigators. The MRI scanners are mainly used for research but are also designed to run protocols for clinical studies and a combination of clinical and research studies.

Current research being done at the Center utilizes MRI for cognitive neurosciences, psychiatric disease, cartilage and joint disease, child development disorders, breast imaging and prostate imaging.