Combining the advantages of two or more imaging modalities offers unique possibilities in research and diagnosis. In combined PET/MR imaging the high sensitivity of PET and its huge variety of tracers is combined with the spatial resolution and anatomical as well as functional imaging capabilities provided by MR. Therefore PET/MR is more than the sum of its parts and allows to follow in vivo processes on multiple stages such as at the receptor level and hemodynamic function.
The combination of MRI with PET has become a key player in preclinical and clinical research. The advantages of combining PET and MRI are the high sensitivity of PET and the multiple soft tissue and functional imaging capabilities of MRI. Thus, PET/MRI is strongest, where functional information from both modalities can be merged for a comprehensive characterization of local tissue status/function. Its main applications can be found in the fields of Neurology, Oncology and Cardiology. Our setup allows a further combination with X-nuclei MRI, as needed for F19 PFC-MRI or hyperpolarized C13-pyruvate imaging.
