Hybrid positron emission tomography–magnetic resonance of the heart: current state of the art and future applications

Abstract

Hybrid positron emission tomography–magnetic resonance (PET-MR) imaging is a novel imaging modality with emerging applications for cardiovascular disease. PET-MR aims to combine the high-spatial resolution morphological and functional assessment afforded by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the ability of positron emission tomography (PET) for quantification of metabolism, perfusion, and inflammation. The fusion of these two modalities into a single imaging platform not only represents an opportunity to acquire complementary information from a single scan, but also allows motion correction for PET with reduction in ionising radiation. This article presents a brief overview of PET-MR technology followed by a review of the published literature on the clinical cardio-vascular applications of PET and MRI performed separately and with hybrid PET-MR.

Splenic switch-off as a predictor for coronary adenosine response: validation against 13N-ammonia during co-injection myocardial perfusion imaging on a hybrid PET/CMR scanner

“…Hence, PET-derived MBF quantification is a reliable standard of truth for assessing adequate coronary adenosine response. Furthermore, the introduction of novel PET/CMR devices, incorporating both modalities in a single hybrid scanner, offers the unique possibility of simultaneous assessment and cross-validation of both modalities during co-injection of gadolinium based contrast agents (GBCA) and 13N-ammonia [ 11 ]. Most importantly, the simultaneity of PET and CMR data acquisition during the same adenosine stimulus ensures an identical physiological state of the coronary and extracardiac vasculature.…”

Procedural recommendations of cardiac PET/CT imaging: standardization in inflammatory-, infective-, infiltrative-, and innervation (4Is)-related cardiovascular diseases: a joint collaboration of the EACVI and the EANM

“…So far, the evidence for using PET/MR imaging in 4Is is very limited, but some overview papers have been published in the field of cardiovascular diseases (12,(91)(92)(93). For the PET acquisition and reconstruction in PET/MR, recommendations (95).…”

Pixel‐wise assessment of cardiovascular magnetic resonance first‐pass perfusion using a cardiac phantom mimicking transmural myocardial perfusion gradients

“…Positron emission tomography (PET) perfusion is currently the clinical reference but uses ionizing radiation, is expensive, and is not widely available 17 . True cross‐validation requires hybrid PET‐MR machines for simultaneous imaging of patients under the same physiological and hemodynamic conditions 17‐19 …”

“…17 True cross-validation requires hybrid PET-MR machines for simultaneous imaging of patients under the same physiological and hemodynamic conditions. [17][18][19] Ideally, a validation technique should be simple to use, accurate, and reproducible and require no cohorts of patients or animal sacrifice. To this end, Driscoll and colleagues proposed a phantom simulating two-compartmental exchange for dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) imaging.…”