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Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 1/2009

01-03-2009

PET/MRI: a different spin from under the rim

Authors: Rodney J. Hicks, Eddie W. F. Lau

Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging | Special Issue 1/2009

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Abstract

Introduction

Hybrid imaging is now widely accepted in cancer imaging with increasing use of PET/CT in clinical practice. The advantages of MRI compared to CT with respect to radiation exposure and soft-tissue lesion contrast, as well as the possibility of performing more sophisticated assessment of tissue chemistry, have stimulated interest in the development of hybrid PET/MR imaging systems.

Objective

While PET/CT simultaneously increases diagnostic quality and patient throughput compared to PET, offsetting the higher cost of this instrumentation, PET/MRI will likely be more expensive again and is currently unlikely to be competitive in terms of throughput.

Discussion

To realize the unique potential advantages of combined PET/MRI, we believe that PET/MRI devices should be designed to be a complementary tool running in parallel with PET/CT. The use of PET/CT for whole-body screening could identify lesions requiring more detailed anatomical and biological characterization. Selection of only those patients and those lesions for which this information is critical for treatment selection and planning will provide efficient and easily justified use of what will, for the foreseeable future, be an expensive and limited resource.
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Metadata
Title
PET/MRI: a different spin from under the rim
Authors
Rodney J. Hicks
Eddie W. F. Lau
Publication date
01-03-2009
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging / Issue Special Issue 1/2009
Print ISSN: 1619-7070
Electronic ISSN: 1619-7089
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-008-0966-z

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