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Review
. 2014 Mar 20;4(2):202-12.
eCollection 2014.

Clinical oncologic applications of PET/MRI: a new horizon

Sasan Partovi  1 , Andres Kohan  1 , Christian Rubbert  1 , Jose Luis Vercher-Conejero  1 , Chiara Gaeta  1 , Roger Yuh  1 , Lisa Zipp  2 , Karin A Herrmann  1 , Mark R Robbin  1 , Zhenghong Lee  1 , Raymond F Muzic Jr  1 , Peter Faulhaber  1 , Pablo R Ros  1
Affiliations
Review

Clinical oncologic applications of PET/MRI: a new horizon

Sasan Partovi et al. Am J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. .

Abstract

Positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) leverages the high soft-tissue contrast and the functional sequences of MR with the molecular information of PET in one single, hybrid imaging technology. This technology, which was recently introduced into the clinical arena in a few medical centers worldwide, provides information about tumor biology and microenvironment. Studies on indirect PET/MRI (use of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) images software fused with MRI images) have already generated interesting preliminary data to pave the ground for potential applications of PET/MRI. These initial data convey that PET/MRI is promising in neuro-oncology and head & neck cancer applications as well as neoplasms in the abdomen and pelvis. The pediatric and young adult oncology population requiring frequent follow-up studies as well as pregnant woman might benefit from PET/MRI due to its lower ionizing radiation dose. The indication and planning of therapeutic interventions and specifically radiation therapy in individual patients could be and to a certain extent are already facilitated by performing PET/MRI. The objective of this article is to discuss potential clinical oncology indications of PET/MRI.

Keywords: PET/MRI; attenuation correction; oncologic imaging; ovarian cancer.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Staging PET/MRI scan of a 56-year-old woman with known ovarian cancer. Axial and coronal T2 weighted images (A and B) show multiple intermediate to high signal lesions abutting the liver posteriorly (long arrow), occupying the porta hepatis (short arrow) and seeding the peritoneum (arrowheads). A round, well defined lesion with similar characteristics is also seen in segment IV of the liver (dotted arrow). On PET/MRI images (C and D) the lesions previously described, and others not so apparent, are revealed by high FDG uptake confirming their malignant nature. MIP of the whole body (E) shows multiple lesions both in the chest and abdomen.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Re-staging PET/MRI scan of a 56-year-old woman with ovarian cancer. Coronal T2 fat saturated weighted image (A) and axial T2 weighted image (B) demonstrate a large heterogeneous lesion with cystic and solid components in the right adnexal area suspicious for malignancy. PET/MRI fusion images (C and D) show FDG uptake of the solid component confirming malignant suspicion. Maximum intensity projection (MIP) whole body image (E) shows diffuse spread throughout the abdomen and pelvis. The round FDG positive pseudolesion in the right lung corresponds to the chemotherapy infusion port.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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