State-of-the-Art PET/MR Scanner, First in US, Lands at MIR

A new, leading-edge scanner has arrived at WashU Medicine Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR), offering faster scans with more detailed information and less radiation. Installed in MIR’s Center for Clinical Imaging Research (CCIR) — the first installation in the U.S. — the Siemens Biograph One integrates positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for a single, comprehensive exam. The hybrid scanner offers simultaneous, dual modality imaging to measure physiologic processes in both health and disease to provide unprecedented anatomic detail. The system also features improved electronics and software, meaning less time in the scanner for patients.

“The fact that two scans can be performed simultaneously represents a ‘one-stop-shop’ for the patient,” said Joseph E. Ippolito, MD, PhD, associate professor of radiology and director of the CCIR. “Combining functional and physiologic measurements of healthy or diseased tissue with PET and anatomic detail with MRI also improves the physician’s ability to make the correct diagnosis.”

Ippolito said because the dose of radiation from the Biograph One is lower than PET/CT scanners, it could be ideal for specific patient populations such as children. Several clinical and research applications are planned for the scanner, including brain imaging, prostate cancer, rectal cancer and cervical cancer imaging.