Center for Functional Imaging (at UC Berkeley)
Thomas F. Budinger, MD, PhD, Director - 510/486-5435

Positron emission tomography and advanced magnetic resonance Imaging and spectroscopy methods for high field are the two main areas of interest in this laboratory. The lab is involved in both instrument development and research, including clinical studies. Resources include a 2.6 mm resolution dynamic PET system for human brain and experimental animal research located at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and a whole-body PET system used primarily for cancer diagnosis and myocardial viability assessment. These systems are used for specialized clinical studies for UCSF patients as well as research. NMR systems include a 0.5T whole-body system used mainly for brain anatomy studies in patients with brain disorders, and a 23.5T 40 cm bore system used mainly for experimental model studies and exploratory investigations of multiple quantum imaging and imaging of hyperpolarized xenon. In addition, a tritium devoted 360 MHz, 500 and 600 MHz NMR systems are available for tissue and chemical studies. There is a dedicated cyclotron for production of radionuclides used in PET studies: carbon-11, nitrogen-13, oxygen-15, fluorine-18 and copper-64.