A system for non-invasive preclinical ultrasound imaging

For the purchase of a system for non-invasive preclinical ultrasound imaging. A single system is to be purchased that will permit visualisation of all of the following preclinical models: • Mouse embryos and zebrafish at resolutions down to 30 µm using an ultra-high frequency transducer (up to 71 MHz). • Mouse hearts and the vasculature in genetic and drug-induced models of disease at 30 µm resolution using a transducer of 30-40 MHz with a frame rate capable of imaging heart rates of up to 750 beats per minute. ECG-gating is also required for 3D reconstruction of the heart. • Rat hearts and the vasculature in genetic and drug-induced models of disease (as detailed above for mice) using a transducer of ~29 MHz. • Mouse or rat brains (requiring a lower frequency transducer of ~22 MHz). Additional capability is required for upgrading for imaging of pig hearts and the vasculature (requires low frequency transducers of 4-10 MHz) and for photoacoustic imaging. The system must have the following provision: • Integrated physiology traces for small animals, including display of ECG, respiration waveform, and body temperature. • Capability for capturing B-mode and M-mode images, and for analysis of the images to provide data on cardiac and vascular function and dimensions in the above preclinical models (including strain and speckle-tracking). • Capability for Power Doppler, Pulsed-Wave Doppler, Pulsed-Wave tissue Doppler and colour Doppler for assessment of blood flow. • Capability for contrast imaging. The University has published this VEAT notice and intends to award a contract to FUJIFILM Visualsonics Inc. following the expiry of 10 full calendar days after the expiry of this notice.