Animal Imaging by Bioluminescence/Fluorescence

Reservations for the IVIS imaging platform (CHUL – Animal house of T block – room T0040) are managed by the IRIS website: https://www.irisreservation.ca/ 

Under the “Criteria” tab, “Resources” section, expand the article CHU de Québec – UL – CHUL then Animalerie CHUL – BLOCK T followed by Room: check Animal imaging IVIS Lumina (Xenogen) (T0040). You can then enter the date, time and duration of your reservation. Don’t forget to specify the reason for your reservation (required): 

• indicate if you wish to hire the services of a technical assistant to use the platform,
• indicate if you want the imaging chamber to be disinfected (vertical interior walls),
• indicate if you need the help of an animal technician to handle your animals (the teams from the CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center must contact the animal department themselves),
• indicate whether you will use bioluminescence imaging,
• indicate whether you will use fluorescence imaging,
• indicate whether you will use Cherenkov light imaging,
• explain why 3 or more people from your team should be present to carry out your imaging experiment (usually one person controls the software and another handles the animals to avoid unwanted contamination of surfaces)

A separate computer is available to execute Living Image software and is dedicated for analyses. No booking is required for it but you need your credentials to open a session.

The use of the animal imaging system is subject to a few rules to ensure your safety and the success of your experiment. 

• It is imperative to keep your access codes in a safe place in order to prevent any use of these codes without your knowledge,
• It is your responsibility to manage your connection time on the control console. Your time of use of the machine begins at the start of the connection (login) and ends when you close the connection (logout),
• If you use radioactive products, your usage time is counted for the entire period of immobilization of the IVIS system until the cleaning of the contamination and the tests of the radiation level are completed (if this is possible for you, we recommend that you reserve the last period of the day so as not to generate delays for the next user),
• You must book a time period according your usage in advance and indicate the type(s) of luminescence desired,
• We recommend that you reserve the minimum time you need (still allow enough time if you use radioactive products: enough time to follow the radiation protection protocol) ,
• If you wish to extend your usage time, this is possible as long as the system is not already reserved immediately after your booking,
• If you have not used your reserved time without canceling 48 hours in advance, a flat rate may be applied.
• The reservation of the system is counted in increments of at least one hour.

• Anyone wishing to operate the system themselves must complete a training validating their ability to use the imaging system without technical assistance.
• Certification will be awarded based on a successful practical assessment which is integrated into the training.
• Users wishing to conduct their animal experiments on their own must have basic training in handling laboratory animals.
• For any use of radioactive products, with a view to exploiting Cherenkov light for example, users must have training in radiation protection.
• WARNING: the user of radioactive products must ensure that they can return the platform and its equipment free of radioactivity as prescribed by the standards in force.

• You cannot handle the instrument alone without having a certification.
• Wear powder-free gloves.
• After each experiment, clean the removable parts of the system with the solution and the tissues provided: you must never use supplies other than those prescribed for the IVIS system at the risk of damaging it; If these supplies are missing, notify and leave as is.
• In the event of damage caused by splashing fluids into the imaging enclosure, do not attempt to clean it yourself and contact technical personnel.
• If you use radioactive products, you must follow the cleaning procedure that corresponds to the isotopes you are using. You must know the contact details of the site’s radiation protection manager before starting your experiment: in the event of a problem, this is the person to contact first, the technical manager of the IVIS platform second.

• Your budget code is required to make a reservation for the IVIS Lumina system,
• For other applicants, please contact us.

Living Image is available to you in room T1-46A.

You will find your images on the network volume that was indicated to you. 

No, your colleague will need to follow a training.

You must take advice from the manager and follow the instructions. 

Yes, the main operator will run the experiment and deliver the images to you.