Training and Safety | VCR | University of Nebraska Medical Center

VEVO Ultrasonic Imaging

Translational Mouse Model Core Facility

Introductory Lecture and Safety Requirements

Students and/or investigators interested in using the core will be provided a walk through of the facilities. They will be given an overview of the protocols and safety measures required to work in the PET imaging core including those related to work with animals and radioactive materials. These protocols and safety measures include training from both UNMC Comparative Medicine and Environmental Health & Safety – Radiation Safety. Within the facilities, interested parties will be given a guided tour with explanations on how to operate the PET imager, CT machine, and the anesthesia machine.

Use of Core equipment for experiments requires the following at minimum:

An active and up-to-date animal protocol from IACUC that cites the PET Core protocol number.
Regarding Radiation Safety:
- For all Radiation Safety measures please contact Environmental Health and Safety at 402-559-6359 and/or unmcehs@unmc.edu.
- The Core user must have an active Radioactive Materials license (RSO-5) or be listed on one that is in accordance with UNMC EHS - Radiation Safety or be listed under such a license.
- Must also have a completed RSO-35: Research Using Radioactive Materials in Animal Research.
- Core user must be an active trained radiation safety worker.
- All radiation safety and compliance is dictated by EHS - Radiation Safety and not the PET Imaging Core.
Once both the radiation safety measures and the animal protocol has been approved, the Core user will have to get an operational safety protocol (OSP) developed in accordance with Comparative Medicine.
- The OSP is relevant to when and where the subject animals are housed and moved within the animal facility once they have been exposed to radiation.
- To develop an OSP, please contact Joe Dolezal, the CM Safety/Compliance Program Manager.

Shadowing

Prospective core users will be allowed to shadow the work of PET core facility works by way of a small contracted experiment. Such shadowing includes radioactive sample preparation, animal injection, scans, and post scan processing. Once both the supervising staff and core users feel comfortable, they may proceed to independent PET core use.

Supervised Training

Core users will conduct a small experiment with supervision from core personnel. Personnel are there to ensure that the users are comfortable with all aspects/steps of core use. Special attention will be given to radiation safety, animal care and PET scanner use. Users must communicate with PET core personnel about reserving the core space and PET machine for this training.

Independent Work

Users must communicate with PET core personnel about reserving the core spaces and the machine.

VEVO Ultrasonic Imaging

Translational Mouse Model Core Facility