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Approaches for the optimization of MR protocols in clinical hybrid PET/MRI studies

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Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the examination method of choice for the diagnosis of a variety of diseases. MRI allows us to obtain not only anatomical information but also identification of physiological and functional parameters such as networks in the brain and tumor cellularity, which plays an increasing role in oncologic imaging, as well as blood flow and tissue perfusion. However, in many cases such as in epilepsy, degenerative neurological diseases and oncological processes, additional metabolic and molecular information obtained by PET can provide essential complementary information for better diagnosis. The combined information obtained from MRI and PET acquired in a single imaging session allows a more accurate localization of pathological findings and better assessment of the underlying physiopathology, thus providing a more powerful diagnostic tool. Two hundred and twenty-one patients were scanned from April 2011 to January 2012 on a Philips Ingenuity TF PET/MRI system. The purpose of this review article is to provide an overview of the techniques used for the optimization of different protocols performed in our hospital by specialists in the following fields: neuroradiology, head and neck, breast, and prostate imaging. This paper also discusses the different problems encountered, such as the length of studies, motion artifacts, and accuracy of image fusion including physical and technical aspects, and the proposed solutions.

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Acknowledgments

The head and neck part of this study was supported by a grant of the Swiss National Foundation of Research (Fonds National Suisse de la Recherche Scientifique): grant number FNS 320030_135728/1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroradiology, Geneva University Hospitals, 4 Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil, 1211, Genève, Switzerland

    Maria-Isabel Vargas & Karl Lovblad

  2. Radiology, Geneva University Hospitals, 4 Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil, 1211, Genève, Switzerland

    Minerva Becker, Pierre Loubeyre, Joanna Gariani & Jean-Paul Vallée

  3. Nuclear Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 4 Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil, 1211, Genève, Switzerland

    Valentina Garibotto & Osman Ratib

  4. Philips AG Healthcare, Allmendstrasse 140, 8027, Zurich, Switzerland

    Susanne Heinzer

Authors
  1. Maria-Isabel Vargas
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  2. Minerva Becker
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  3. Valentina Garibotto
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  4. Susanne Heinzer
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  5. Pierre Loubeyre
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  6. Joanna Gariani
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  7. Karl Lovblad
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  8. Jean-Paul Vallée
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  9. Osman Ratib
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Correspondence to Maria-Isabel Vargas.

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Vargas, MI., Becker, M., Garibotto, V. et al. Approaches for the optimization of MR protocols in clinical hybrid PET/MRI studies. Magn Reson Mater Phy 26, 57–69 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-012-0340-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-012-0340-9

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