Patent ID: 8342136

Claim:
A method of in-vivo imaging of an animal, comprising: providing an animal having limbs; providing a first mounting surface; providing a bed removably secured to the mounting surface, sized to support the animal and coupled to a plurality of straps; placing the animal on the bed between the plurality of straps; tightening at least two of the plurality of straps around at least two of the limbs such that the animal is substantially secured in place relative to the bed; providing a first imaging device having an associated second mounting surface; fixing the first mounting surface to the second mounting surface; locating the bed and the animal within a field of view of the first imaging device; enclosing the animal in a chamber such that the animal is environmentally isolated from the second mounting surface, the chamber being fixed relative to or integral with the first mounting surface; and imaging the animal with the first imaging device to create a first image.