Imaging equipment for medical, dental and veterinary use

Description

A compact stand-alone instrument which provides the means of imaging samples and living animals using X-ray micro-computed tomography (microCT). The system must be a compact stand-alone instrument which provides the means of imaging samples and living animals using X-ray micro-computed tomography (microCT). Product Requirement: The microCT must contain a gantry with a micro-focus X-ray source and a high temporal resolution that performs continuous rotation during imaging. The microCT must have adjustable X-ray source to subject geometry, so that image resolution and field of view (FOV) can be user-defined. The FOV, resolution, and scan times must be controlled with pre-determined scanning modes. No micro CT recalibration should be required when scanning modes are changed. The microCT must have an X-ray shielding and interlocking mechanism that is approved by radiation safety authorities. The microCT must allow imaging of samples and full-size live animals (e.g. mice, hamsters, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits), and must be equipped with a motor-controlled stage/bed upon which samples or animals are placed. The stage/bed must be translatable in X, Y, and Z directions to allow precise positioning inside the scanner. The position of the stage/bed must be displayed in real-time on a computer screen as a video image. For live animal imaging, the microCT must provide real-time video display of the animal during the scan on the computer screen and through an X-ray protective transparent window. The microCT must be equipped with easily removable and cleanable protective gantry covers which prevent sample or animal loss inside the scanner or contamination of its internal components. For live animal imaging, the microCT must permit the use of external instrumentation such as gas anaesthesia, injection pumps, physiological monitoring equipment by the means of placing them in a near vicinity to the imaged subject or through X-ray shielded channels or openings. The microCT must have a warranty of no less than 12 months from the date of installation. The microCT must be manufactured by a company which has been certified and registered as ISO compliant. Copies of the certifications showing corresponding certification ID numbers must be provided. The microCT supplier must have at least a 3-year-long record of peer reviewed publications showing that previous and current models of their microCT instrumentation were successfully used for dental, bone, pulmonary, cardio-vascular, metabolic, kidney, oncology, material sciences and specimen imaging. The microCT supplier must provide five reference sites for already delivered within the EU systems where the instruments were used for microCT specific applications. The referenced deliveries must not be older than 3 years.