Dual-Modality Imaging: More Than the Sum of its Components

Hasegawa, B.H.; Zaidi, Habib

doi:10.1007/0-387-25444-7_2

Cited by 19 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 138 publications

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“…In opposition, PET generally targets a specific functional or metabolic signature in a way that can be highly specific, but generally lacks spatial resolution and anatomical evidence which often are needed to localize or stage the disease, or for planning therapy in cancers of the brain, head and neck. The availability of correlated functional and anatomical images improves the detection of disease by highlighting areas of increased radiotracer uptake on the anatomical CT or MRI scan, whereas regions that look abnormal in the anatomical image can draw attention to a potential area of disease where radiopharmaceutical uptake may be low [29]. There have been multiple studies which have demonstrated the role of PET/CT especially for improved characterization of equivocal lesions in oncologic applications, thus impacting patients' management [66].…”

Section: Developments In Multimodality Imagingmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…In parallel to these developments and ongoing research in software-based image co-registration and fusion [28], hardware dual-modality imaging, an approach where two different imaging techniques are integrated in a single unit that allows imaging with both approaches during a single experimental procedure (e.g PET/CT and PET/MRI) are under development by different research groups and scanner manufacturers. Combined units offer unique capabilities beyond those available from systems that perform radionuclide imaging alone [29]. The visual quality and quantitative accuracy of the PET data can be improved by using fusion with the correlated x-ray CT with the possibility to use them to correct the radionuclide data for perturbations arising from photon attenuation and Compton scatter.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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The New Challenges of Brain PET Imaging Technology

Zaidi¹,

Montandon

2006

CMIR

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During the last two decades, functional brain imaging using positron emission tomography (PET) has advanced elegantly, and steadily gained importance in the clinical and research arenas. Significant progress has been made by different scanner manufacturers and research groups in the design of dedicated high-resolution three-dimensional (3-D) PET units; however, emerging clinical and research applications of functional brain imaging promise even greater levels of accuracy and precision and therefore, impose more constraints with respect to the intrinsic performance of the PET tomograph. Continuous efforts to integrate recent research findings for the design of different geometries and various detector/readout technologies of PET scanners have become the goal of both the academic community and nuclear medicine industry. As PET has become integrated into clinical practice, several design trends have developed; with systems now available with a spectrum of features, from those designed for "low cost" clinical applications to others designed specifically for very high-resolution research applications. There is also a continual upward revision and refinement in both hardware and software components for all of these systems.Software-and hardware-based correlation between anatomical (x-ray CT, MRI) and physiological (PET) information is a promising research field and now offers unique capabilities for the medical imaging community and biomedical researchers. One of the main advantages of dual-modality PET/CT imaging is that PET data are intrinsically aligned to anatomical information from the x-ray CT without the use of external markers or internal landmarks, thus providing a reliable estimate of the attenuation map to be used for attenuation and scatter correction purposes. On the other hand, combining PET with MRI technology is scientifically more challenging owing to the strong magnetic fields. Nevertheless, significant progress has been made resulting in the design of a prototype small animal PET scanner coupled to three multichannel photomultipliers via optical fibers, so that the PET detector can be operated within a conventional MR system. Thus, many different design paths have been and continue to be pursued in both academic and corporate settings, that offer different trade-offs in terms of their performance. It still is uncertain which designs will be incorporated into future clinical and research systems, but it is certain that technological advances will continue and will enable new quantitative capabilities in brain PET imaging. This paper briefly summarizes state of the art developments in dedicated brain PET instrumentation. Future prospects will also be discussed.

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Section: Developments In Multimodality Imagingmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

The New Challenges of Brain PET Imaging Technology

Zaidi¹,

Montandon

2006

CMIR

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Many pioneering radiologic scientists and physicians recognized that the capabilities of a radionuclide imaging system could be improved by adding an external source to allow acquisition of transmission data for anatomic correlation of the emission image. 2 Interestingly, the derived theoretical concepts that were occasionally patented 17,18 never materialized in practice until the late Dr Bruce Hasegawa and colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco 19,20 pioneered in the 1990s the development of dedicated SPECT/CT. Dr Hasegawa is the person to credit for the conception and design of the first combined SPECT/CT unit, which now stands as a wonderful tribute to his memory.…”

Section: Hardware-based Multimodality Imaging Combined Pet/ct Instrummentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This effect presents a significant challenge when imaging techniques are used to define the anatomic extent of disease, such as for planning highly conformal radiation treatment or highly targeted therapeutic regimens. 2 In comparison with anatomic imaging techniques, functional imaging methods including planar scintigraphy, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and MR spectroscopy assess regional differences in the biochemical status of tissues. In nuclear medicine, including SPECT and PET, this assessment is done by administering a biologically active molecule or pharmaceutical to the patient which is radiolabeled and accumulated in response to its biochemical attributes.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Clinical Role of Fusion Imaging Using PET, CT, and MR Imaging

2008

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“…12 Although multimodality systems such as single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT and PET/CT have been successfully implemented in the clinic, 10,13 the combination of PET and MRI still represents the frontier challenge for molecular imaging technology. 11 Conventional PET systems employ photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) to detect the scintillation light.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An outlook on future design of hybrid PET/MRI systems

2011

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Early diagnosis and therapy increasingly operate at the cellular, molecular, or even at the genetic level. As diagnostic techniques transition from the systems to the molecular level, the role of multimodality molecular imaging becomes increasingly important. Positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are powerful techniques for in vivo molecular imaging. The inability of PET to provide anatomical information is a major limitation of standalone PET systems. Combining PET and CT proved to be clinically relevant and successfully reduced this limitation by providing the anatomical information required for localization of metabolic abnormalities. However, this technology still lacks the excellent soft-tissue contrast provided by MRI. Standalone MRI systems reveal structure and function but cannot provide insight into the physiology and/or the pathology at the molecular level. The combination of PET and MRI, enabling truly simultaneous acquisition, bridges the gap between molecular and systems diagnosis. MRI and PET offer richly complementary functionality and sensitivity; fusion into a combined system offering simultaneous acquisition will capitalize the strengths of each, providing a hybrid technology that is greatly superior to the sum of its parts. A combined PET/MRI system provides both the anatomical and structural description of MRI simultaneously with the quantitative capabilities of PET. In addition, such a system would allow exploiting the power of MR spectroscopy (MRS) to measure the regional biochemical content and to assess the metabolic status or the presence of neoplasia and other diseases in specific tissue areas. This paper briefly summarizes state-of-the-art developments and latest advances in dedicated hybrid PET/MRI instrumentation. Future prospects and potential clinical applications of this technology will also be discussed.

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Dual-Modality Imaging: More Than the Sum of its Components

Cited by 19 publications

References 138 publications

The New Challenges of Brain PET Imaging Technology

The New Challenges of Brain PET Imaging Technology

The Clinical Role of Fusion Imaging Using PET, CT, and MR Imaging

An outlook on future design of hybrid PET/MRI systems

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