PET-MR: Associated Facility

About

The PET/MRI facility at Karolinska University Hospital in Solna (NKS) houses a state-of-the-art instrument for simultaneous acquisition of PET and MRI data in a single session. Our GE Healthcare 3 Tesla SIGNA PET/MRI system substantially enhances the potential of advanced multi-modality imaging by simultaneous acquisition of structural, molecular, and functional imaging while improving the overall specificity and sensitivity of information provided by PET or MR alone. The facility operates as a university service center and is assigned 60% for research and 40% for clinical studies. The scanner is located in the translational area within BioClinicum (J4:20) and is managed and staffed by the Nuclear Medicine Department in close collaboration with other Radiology and Radiopharmacy Departments at Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet.

Both clinical patients and research studies can now benefit from simultaneous acquisition of PET data and advanced MRI techniques. PET/MRI delivers dedicated functional imaging capabilities by combining the high spatial resolution and accurate anatomical details of MRI with the high molecular specificity of PET-imaging. The integrated PET/MRI exam achieves a more detailed imaging to accurately detect, characterize, and supervise the treatment of certain diseases, resulting in greater diagnostic confidence. Moreover, conducting two different exams at the same time allows shorter waiting time for appointments, faster examination times, and increased patient comfort. The main application of PET-MRI is in oncology imaging, but also in various inflammatory and infections conditions, as well as in neurology and cardiology. Given the reduced radiation load compared to PET/CT, the system is ideal for pediatric patients and patients concerned with their total cumulative radiation exposure, like pregnant women and young adults undergoing repeated exams.

Equipment

The PET-MRI is a fully integrated 3T PET/MR system built with pioneering Time-of-Flight (TOF) technology and a 3.0T MR, with a full suite of pulse sequences and applications, and perfectly able to do the simultaneous acquisition of PET and MR in the same field of view. TOF enhanced attenuation correction enables lower radiotracer dosage requirements. Our team consists of physicians with board certification in both radiology and nuclear medicine, which is quite unique worldwide, as well as technologists and physicists with vast expertise in both PET and MRI-fields.
The PET-MRI facility at NKS is one of four in Sweden and the most used in clinical practice. Moreover, our department ensures the framework needed to conduct high-quality research studies, including support for study design, imaging processing, interpretation, and data analyses.