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Siemens
Demos World's First MRI/PET Scanner
by Barbara Kram, Editor, www.DotMed.com
In what could prove to be a turning point in diagnosis and therapy for
millions of patients suffering from neurological diseases, stroke, and
cancer, Siemens Medical Solutions showed results of a prototype for
the world's first fully-functioning imaging system capable of simultaneously
performing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography
(PET). The first in-vivo human brain simultaneous MR-PET images were
acquired in the Siemens facilities in the US. Testing of this new prototype
MR-PET will start before the end of 2007.
MR-PET presents a tremendous leap forward in imaging capabilities. Siemens is the first company to have realized an MR-PET prototype, which brings the exceptional soft tissue contrast and high specificity of MR together with PET's excellent sensitivity in assessing physiological and metabolic states. The first MR-PET images were acquired with support of Dr. David Townsend and Dr. Claude Nahmias, both from the University of Tennessee, USA, and Dr. Heinz-Peter Schlemmer, Dr. Claus Claussen and Dr. Bernd Pichler, all from the University Tubingen in Germany. MR-PET has the potential to become the imaging modality of choice for neurological studies, certain forms of cancer, stroke, and the emerging study of stem cell therapy.
Unraveling the Mysteries of the Brain
Researchers expect that MR-PET will open new doors in understanding
the pathologies and progression of various neurological disorders like
Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy, depression and schizophrenia. For
example, PET can currently differentiate mild cognitive impairment from
early-stage Alzheimer's, but cannot determine reduced brain volume caused
by atrophy. By combining MR and PET, clinicians may be able to make
a more sound determination of both cognitive impairment and atrophy.
Furthermore, combining MR-PET and the new emerging neurological biomarkers
has the great potential to strengthen the assessment of the condition.
Similarly, in stroke patients, the technology holds the promise of allowing physicians to study which brain tissues might be salvageable after a stroke. In other rehabilitation settings, such as for patients with traumatic brain injury, the Siemens MR-PET approach would improve care and workflow. In that case, patients would be only scanned once instead of having to go to two different locations and get two subsequent scans. "The ability to determine in great detail the loss of neurological function puts us on the path to better care," said Maerzendorfer.
Advancing Stem Cell Research
MR-PET holds great promises for emerging therapeutic research as well,
as in the case of stem cell therapy. Because the Siemens MR-PET approach
allows simultaneous measurement of anatomy, functionality and biochemistry
of the body's tissues and cells, it may enable researchers to correlate
MR and PET data in a way not previously possible before. This correlative
approach will enable researchers to get a much deeper understanding
of stem cell migration to damaged parts of the brain, to determine over
a prolonged period whether or not cells are still alive, and to identify
how stem cells have been integrated into the body's neurological network.
Hybrid technology and MR-PET
Recent hybrid technologies such as PET-CT and SPECT-CT incorporate both
imaging modalities into one machine, but the two scans take place sequentially.
Siemens' prototype MR-PET acquires MR and PET scans at the same time
for the same imaging volume and therefore produces a higher degree of
registration.
Siemens' MR-PET prototype is dedicated to the brain and the PET scanner uses a next-generation Avalanche Photodiode Detector (APD) technology. APD technology renders the PET scanner impervious to magnetic fields while providing excellent PET results. In order to maximize the research and clinical impact, Siemens's APD-based MR-PET prototype has been developed for the Magnetom Trio with Tim - enabling to benefit from 3T field strength advantages.
"At Siemens Medical Solutions, we have identified a number of 'mega trends,' and one of these is the merging of technologies to deliver solutions across the healthcare continuum," said Walter Maerzendorfer, president of Siemens Medical Solutions Division of Magnetic Resonance. "Fusing existing technologies, in this case, goes far beyond the simple fusion of images."
Molecular Medicine will Transform the
Delivery of Healthcare
"From Biomarker development to imaging equipment, to clinical applications,
to information technology solution, Siemens is well positioned to continue
to advance the molecular imaging of biological processes" said
Prof. Erich Reinhardt, CEO and President of Siemens Medical Solutions
and added: "Ultimately, these advances will help us to achieve
our goal: increase the quality of care while at the same time reduce
its cost".