Cardiac PET/MRI: Current Clinical Status and Future Perspectives

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Nuclear Medicine

Background:

• Combined Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PET/MRI) has been in clinical use for nearly ten years.
• Its adoption has involved validation, comparison studies, and ongoing research.
• Clinical utilization has steadily increased, particularly in cardiovascular applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review established clinical applications of combined PET/MRI in cardiology.
• To highlight key areas such as cardiac viability imaging and assessment of inflammatory and infiltrative heart conditions.
• To discuss promising future research applications of PET/MRI in cardiovascular medicine.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing clinical data and research findings on combined PET/MRI.
• Synthesis of information on established and emerging cardiovascular applications.
• Focus on viability imaging and inflammatory/infiltrative processes.

Main Results:

• Combined PET/MRI has established cardiovascular applications, notably in assessing myocardial viability.
• It is effective in evaluating inflammatory and infiltrative cardiac diseases.
• Significant potential for novel research applications is identified.

Conclusions:

• Combined PET/MRI is a valuable tool in routine cardiovascular clinical practice.
• Its role in assessing cardiac health, including viability and inflammation, is well-established.
• Further research is expected to broaden its clinical impact and applications.