Ephoran Multi Imaging Solutions Preclinical Services is a contract research organization (CRO) located in the Bio Industry Park of Canavese at Colleretto Giacosa (Torino, Italy), offering pre-clinical imaging services and within the collaboration with the shareholder Bracco Imaging, the preclinical pharma-tox services. The test facility focuses on in vitro and in vivo toxicological, pharmacological and pharmacokinetic studies, carried out in accordance with the guidelines of the ICH (International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use) and the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development). The animal testing facility has been designed and is managed in compliance with international standards and GLP guidelines (Good Laboratory Practices). Within the authorized tests , the short term toxicology studies in mice and rats and the effects on central nervous system, cardiovascular system and excretory systems pharmacology in normal and pathological models are offered as service. The pharma-tox main experience is for non-clinical development of pharmaceutical products, mainly in the diagnostic imaging field particularly on contrast agents for the different imaging techniques, for the authorization to phase-1 clinical experimentation as well as for registration. Recent experience had a close support of the application also of preclinical imaging in the pharma-tox evaluation of drugs. Imaging technologies, including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and ultrasound, have had a interesting impact on the preclinical animal models . These techniques allow rapid, non-invasive, high-resolution analysis of the state of disease progression of many pathologies and alteration of normal physiology. In addition, imaging can be used to monitor the progress of treatments and to monitor structural and/or functional changes of numerous tissues. Structures or activities can be monitored using intrinsic or extrinsic markers or probes during pharma-tox studies.