title: Optimized workflow and imaging protocols for whole-body oncologic PET/MRI.
abstract: Although PET/MRI has the advantages of a simultaneous acquisition of PET and MRI, high soft-tissue contrast of the MRI images, and reduction of radiation exposure, its low profitability and long acquisition time are significant problems in clinical settings. Thus, MRI protocols that meet oncological purposes need to be used in order to reduce examination time while securing detectability. Currently, half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin echo and 3D-T1 volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination may be the most commonly used sequences for whole-body imaging due to their shorter acquisition time and higher diagnostic accuracy. Although there have been several reports that adding diffusion weighted image (DWI) to PET/MRI protocol has had no effect on tumor detection to date, in cases of liver, kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer, the use of DWI may be beneficial in detecting lesions. Another possible option is to scan each region with different MRI sequences instead of scanning the whole body using one sequence continuously. We herein report a workflow and imaging protocols for whole-body oncologic PET/MRI using an integrated system in the clinical routine, designed for the detection, for example by cancer screening, of metastatic lesions, in order to help future users optimize their workflow and imaging protocols.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Fukushima Medical University, 1, Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan. shirou@fmu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shirou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.affiliation: Advanced clinical Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Takamitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.affiliation: Advanced clinical Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nanbu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Fukushima Medical University, 1, Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suenaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Fukushima Medical University, 1, Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeyasu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Fukushima Medical University, 1, Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Daichi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kuroiwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Fukushima Medical University, 1, Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sekino
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Fukushima Medical University, 1, Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyajima
authors.affiliation: Advanced clinical Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.affiliation: Advanced clinical Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Noboru
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oriuchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Fukushima Medical University, 1, Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D051598:Whole Body Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D057188:Workflow
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: Oncology; PET/MRI; Whole-body; Workflow