Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of sequential PET/MRI using a newly developed mobile PET system for brain imaging

To evaluate the clinical feasibility of a newly developed mobile PET system with MR-compatibility (flexible PET; fxPET), compared conventional (cPET)/CT for brain imaging. Twenty-one patients underwent cPET/CT subsequent fxPET/MRI using 18F-FDG. As qualitative evaluation, we visually rated image quality MR and images four-point scoring system. We evaluated overall MR, while quality, sharpness lesion contrast. quantitative registration accuracy between two modalities [(fxPET MRI) (cPET CT)] measuring spatial coordinates. also examined regional 18F-FDG uptake. All acquired were diagnostic number detected lesions did not differ significantly fxPET/MR cPET/CT. Mean misregistration was larger than SUVmax SUVmean fxPET cPET showed high correlations in (R = 0.84, 0.79; P < 0.001, 0.002, respectively). In normal structures, 0.85, 0.87; respectively) 0.83, bilateral caudate nuclei moderate correlation 0.65) 0.63) vermis. The within range, below 3 mm uptake highly correlated that