From simultaneous to synergistic MR-PET brain imaging: A review of hybrid MR-PET imaging methodologies

Zhaolin Chen; Sharna D Jamadar; Shenpeng Li; Francesco Sforazzini; Jakub Baran; Nicholas Ferris; Nadim Jon Shah; Gary F Egan

doi:10.1002/hbm.24314

From simultaneous to synergistic MR-PET brain imaging: A review of hybrid MR-PET imaging methodologies

Hum Brain Mapp. 2018 Dec;39(12):5126-5144. doi: 10.1002/hbm.24314. Epub 2018 Aug 4.

Authors

Zhaolin Chen^{1

2}, Sharna D Jamadar^{1

3

4}, Shenpeng Li^{1

2}, Francesco Sforazzini¹, Jakub Baran^{1

5}, Nicholas Ferris^{1

6}, Nadim Jon Shah^{1

7}, Gary F Egan^{1

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
² Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
³ Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
⁴ Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
⁵ Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland.
⁶ Monash Imaging, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
⁷ Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 4, INM-4, Forschungszentrum, Jülich, Germany.

Abstract

Simultaneous Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanning is a recent major development in biomedical imaging. The full integration of the PET detector ring and electronics within the MR system has been a technologically challenging design to develop but provides capacity for simultaneous imaging and the potential for new diagnostic and research capability. This article reviews state-of-the-art MR-PET hardware and software, and discusses future developments focusing on neuroimaging methodologies for MR-PET scanning. We particularly focus on the methodologies that lead to an improved synergy between MRI and PET, including optimal data acquisition, PET attenuation and motion correction, and joint image reconstruction and processing methods based on the underlying complementary and mutual information. We further review the current and potential future applications of simultaneous MR-PET in both systems neuroscience and clinical neuroimaging research. We demonstrate a simultaneous data acquisition protocol to highlight new applications of MR-PET neuroimaging research studies.

Keywords: MR-PET; PET/MR; attenuation correction; dynamic FDG-PET; functional MRI; joint image reconstruction; motion.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods*
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / standards
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / standards
Multimodal Imaging / methods*
Multimodal Imaging / standards
Neuroimaging / methods*
Neuroimaging / standards
Neurosciences / methods*
Neurosciences / standards
Positron-Emission Tomography / methods*
Positron-Emission Tomography / standards