CT scanner enables world-leading studies in large animals

A next-generation medical imaging scanner will provide world-leading capability for studying diseases in large animals, with benefits for veterinary and human medicine.

The newly installed computed tomography (CT) scanner, comparable with those used in human healthcare, represents the most advanced imaging capability at any veterinary research centre in the world.

Based at the Large Animal Research and Imaging Facility (LARIF), part of the Roslin Institute and the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, the technology will enable researchers to study diseases and carry out procedures with greater precision, speed and biological insight than previously possible.

The CT scanner delivers high-resolution imaging of tissues and organs, and is the first such device in veterinary research to be equipped with laser guidance, helping to direct surgical interventions such as biopsies with a high degree of precision. This cutting-edge capability will support high quality studies and expand the breadth and scale of biomedical research.

The Siemens Healthineers SOMATOM X.ceed CT scanner will support ongoing studies using large animals as models of human disease in areas such as neuroscience, oncology, and cardiovascular disease. It will enable the Institute’s pioneering work in gene editing and gene therapy towards innovative treatments for human disorders.

The scanner is designed to support precision medicine approaches tailored to the individual patient. This includes more accurate delivery of drugs to diseased areas, improved understanding of disease progression, and better evaluation of treatment responses. It will enhance the translation of results from animal bioscience research, aligning the imaging methods used with the precision medicine approaches employed in human medicine.

The addition of this CT scanner at the Easter Bush campus enhances the University of Edinburgh’s position as one of the largest centres for veterinary and human clinical and pre-clinical imaging in Europe. Furthermore, it bolsters the wider University of Edinburgh’s position as a leading centre for biological imaging, complementing the institution’s first-class capabilities in human medical imaging.

The scanner was funded through a £800,000 Medical Research Council equipment grant, with the University contributing the remaining capital funds required.