PET–MRI synergy in molecular, functional and anatomical cancer imaging

Excerpt

In the wake of PET-CT, the development of PET-MRI scanners marks another milestone in the ongoing quest for high-sensitivity and high-specificity biomedical images offering exquisite morphological detail. But why the need for PET-MRI? First, PET-CT, although well established in routine clinical practice, has two disadvantages compared with PET-MRI: it does not really allow simultaneous data acquisition, and it exposes the patient to a significant radiation dose. Second, high-resolution, very high contrast morphological imaging of soft tissues, spectroscopy, and functional imaging are all features that only MRI offers. It may be easier to appreciate the value of PET-MRI if one understands the different roles of PET and MRI, the value of their combined use (in fusion or side-by-side analysis), and the advantages of performing both scans concurrently. The strenuous efforts to develop PET-MRI scanning technology are at last yielding tangible results. A look at some of the most recently published papers in this field may help us to get these concepts into focus. …