PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Axel Martinez-Möller
AU  - Matthias Eiber
AU  - Stephan G. Nekolla
AU  - Michael Souvatzoglou
AU  - Alexander Drzezga
AU  - Sibylle Ziegler
AU  - Ernst J. Rummeny
AU  - Markus Schwaiger
AU  - Ambros J. Beer
TI  - Workflow and Scan Protocol Considerations for Integrated Whole-Body PET/MRI in Oncology
AID  - 10.2967/jnumed.112.109348
DP  - 2012 Sep 01
TA  - Journal of Nuclear Medicine
PG  - 1415--1426
VI  - 53
IP  - 9
4099  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/53/9/1415.short
4100  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/53/9/1415.full
SO  - J Nucl Med2012 Sep 01; 53
AB  - Integrated PET/MRI systems open exciting possibilities for clinical and research applications. However, compared with PET/CT, PET/MRI is a complex technique resulting in new problems and challenges, especially regarding workflow, scan protocols, and data analysis. This complexity applies in particular to examinations in oncology with partial- or whole-body coverage extending over several bed positions. Unlike diagnostic PET/CT, for which the clinical CT protocols can largely be copied from stand-alone CT, the design of a diagnostic MRI protocol for partial- or whole-body coverage is more complex and has to be adapted to the special requirements of PET/MRI to be both time-efficient and comprehensive. Here, we describe basic considerations concerning workflow, imaging protocols, and image analysis for whole-body PET/MRI in oncology, based on our experience with the first integrated PET/MRI scanner. The aim is to fully and optimally make use of the combined PET/MRI measurements in oncology, including identifying and reducing image artifacts as well as optimizing workflow beyond the mere fusion of 2 image datasets.