Marika Kuschan, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Caudia Meisinger, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Matthias Johannes Eiber MD, Presenter: Speaker, Siemens AG Speaker, Astellas Group Speaker, Johnson & Johnson

Frank Resmer, Abstract Co-Author: Researcher, RAPID Biomedical GmbH

Matthias Mueller, Abstract Co-Author: Researcher, Rapid Biomedical GmbH

Titus Lanz PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Employee, RAPID Biomedical GmbH Co-owner, RAPID Biomedical GmbH

Axel Haase, Abstract Co-Author: Stockholder, RAPID Biomedical GmbH

Markus Schwaiger MD, Abstract Co-Author: Research Grant, Siemens AG

Stephan G. Nekolla PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Stephan G. Nekolla PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Recently, hybrid PET/MR imaging of atherosclerosis was compared to conventional PET/CT imaging concluding potentially an enhanced applicability of PET/MR carotids imaging in patients with no overt atherosclerosis. Regarding the higher soft tissue contrast of MR imaging simultaneous PET/MR imaging of the carotid artery wall and particularly imaging of carotid artery atherosclerosis is apealling. Thus, we present an evaluation of a PET-optimized MR-carotids coil for advanced imaging of atherosclerosis

A novel 6 receiver channel coil for simultaneous PET/MR imaging of the carotids was developed. To examine the overall performance, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and image quality was evaluated in phantoms and volunteers (N=5, using a T1- TSE-darkblood-, a T2–fat saturated, a DCE–test- and a 3D MPRAGE – sequence as well as 10 min PET acquisitions). The MR-image quality was assessed by a blinded diagnostic evaluation against the clinical standardized procedure using images. Using the same clinical protocols the PET performance was assessed using homogeneous phantoms (FDG, 80- 100MBq).

MR image quality for the novel PET/MR carotids coil showed significant advantages over the clinical standard imaging using a dedicated MR-only coil. The quantitative validation for the PET performance showed that the average attenuation in homogeneous phantoms in the volume affected by the two coil elements (VOI: 8cm diameter by 12cm length) variabof the new PET-optimized MR coil (mean ± SD = 0,82 ± 0,005 SUV) is only a little lower than using a conventional MR-only coil (mean ± SD = 0,80 ± 0,02 SUV). However, regarding the mean variation the variability of a conventional coil (min. value – max. value = 0,78-0,86 SUV) beeing three times higher than the newly developed PET/MR carotids coil (min. value – max. value = 0,81-0,83 SUV).

Considering the small VOI for imaging atherosclerosis in the carotids the novel PET-optimized 6 receiver channel coil is capable of simultaneous hybrid PET/MR imaging with excellent MR-image quality and homogeneous PET tracer attennuation for improved tracer uptake quantification.

Simultaneous hybrid PET/MR imaging of carotids using the newly developed coil is able to advance diagnostic evaluation of atherosclerosis.

Kuschan, M, Meisinger, C, Eiber, M, Resmer, F, Mueller, M, Lanz, T, Haase, A, Schwaiger, M, Nekolla, S, Nekolla, S, Feasibility Study of a Novel 6 Receiver Channel PET-optimized MR Coil for Hybrid Imaging of the Carotids.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14019714.html