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Combined PET/MRI: Global Warming-Summary Report of the 6th International Workshop on PET/MRI, March 27-29, 2017,
D L Bailey1, B J Pichler2, B Gückel3
1Department of Nuclear Medicine, Royal North Shore Hospital, and Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Abstract:
The 6th annual meeting to address key issues in positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was held again in Tübingen, Germany, from March 27 to 29, 2017. Over three days of invited plenary lectures, round table discussions and dialogue board deliberations, participants critically assessed the current state of PET/MRI, both clinically and as a research tool, and attempted to chart future directions. The meeting addressed the use of PET/MRI and workflows in oncology, neurosciences, infection, inflammation and chronic pain syndromes, as well as deeper discussions about how best to characterise the tumour microenvironment, optimise the complementary information available from PET and MRI, and how advanced data mining and bioinformatics, as well as information from liquid biomarkers (circulating tumour cells and nucleic acids) and pathology, can be integrated to give a more complete characterisation of disease phenotype. Some issues that have dominated previous meetings, such as the accuracy of MR-based attenuation correction (AC) of the PET scan, were finally put to rest as having been adequately addressed for the majority of clinical situations. Likewise, the ability to standardise PET systems for use in multicentre trials was confirmed, thus removing a perceived barrier to larger clinical imaging trials. The meeting openly questioned whether PET/MRI should, in all cases, be used as a whole-body imaging modality or whether in many circumstances it would best be employed to give an in-depth study of previously identified disease in a single organ or region. The meeting concluded that there is still much work to be done in the integration of data from different fields and in developing a common language for all stakeholders involved. In addition, the participants advocated joint training and education for individuals who engage in routine PET/MRI. It was agreed that PET/MRI can enhance our understanding of normal and disrupted biology, and we are in a position to describe the in vivo nature of disease processes, metabolism, evolution of cancer and the monitoring of response to pharmacological interventions and therapies. As such, PET/MRI is a key to advancing medicine and patient care.
Insights
The 6th annual Positron Emission Tomography (PET)/Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) meeting highlighted advancements in integrating PET/MRI for disease characterization. Key issues like attenuation correction and standardization were resolved, paving the way for broader clinical applications.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Radiology
- Nuclear Medicine
Background:
- The 6th annual PET/MRI meeting convened to assess the current clinical and research status of PET/MRI technology.
- Discussions focused on applications in oncology, neurosciences, infection, inflammation, and chronic pain syndromes.
Framework:
- Explored optimizing complementary PET and MRI data, integrating advanced data mining, bioinformatics, liquid biomarkers, and pathology for comprehensive disease phenotyping.
- Addressed the characterization of the tumor microenvironment.
Implementation:
- Resolved issues concerning MR-based attenuation correction (AC) for PET scans in most clinical scenarios.
- Confirmed the standardization of PET systems for multicenter trials, removing barriers to larger clinical imaging studies.
Implications:
- Debated the utility of whole-body versus regional PET/MRI studies, emphasizing the need for data integration and a common language among stakeholders.
- Advocated for joint training in routine PET/MRI and recognized its potential to advance understanding of in vivo disease processes, cancer evolution, and therapy monitoring for improved patient care.
