First Clinical Experiences with the Ultra-Fast Time-of-Flight BIOGRAPH One Next-Generation Hybrid PET/MRI System

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Nuclear Medicine
• Radiology

Background:

• The BIOGRAPH One represents a next-generation PET/MRI system.
• Evaluating its clinical performance is crucial for advancing diagnostic capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the clinical performance of the BIOGRAPH One PET/MRI system for body and brain imaging.
• To compare its PET image quality, quantification, and noise characteristics against established PET/CT and first-generation PET/MRI systems.

Main Methods:

• 59 patients underwent scanning on the BIOGRAPH One PET/MRI using various tracers ([18F]FDG, [18F]FE-PE2I, [18F]FET, [68Ga]Ga-DOTATOC).
• PET image quality was visually assessed and compared to reference scans (PET/CT, first-gen PET/MRI).
• Diagnostic concordance, quantification, and image noise were evaluated.

Main Results:

• 93% of scans received "good" or "very good" image quality ratings.
• Image quality was rated equal to or better than reference scans in 99% of cases.
• Diagnostic concordance reached 99%, with comparable image noise to digital PET/CT and superiority over first-generation PET/MRI.

Conclusions:

• The BIOGRAPH One PET/MRI demonstrates enhanced PET sensitivity and workflow efficiency compared to its predecessor.
• The system shows potential for broader clinical adoption and expanded research applications in medical imaging.