New technology improves image quality, enabling more effective treatment

PET/MRI is a hybrid imaging technology that is serving critical diagnostic and treatment purposes for current UCSF patients as well as playing an important role in research for future patients. The PET/MRI technology incorporates the soft tissue morphological imaging of magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, with the functional imaging of positron emission tomography, or PET, providing high-quality images while reducing patient exposure to radiation.

“MRI is probably the most exciting imaging modality because it’s so flexible and can be used for many different things,” said Dr. Thomas Hope, assistant professor in residence at UCSF’s Departments of Abdominal Imaging and Nuclear Medicine.

“MRI is used for more than viewing the anatomy,” he explained. “It also characterizes tissues in new ways. These new characterizations include what elements are fluids or solid, the directional flow of liquids, in addition to cellular data. One can also detect different MRI contrast agents in a single scan. Combining these parameters enables an interpretation of the PET data that would not have been possible with previous imaging technologies.” Read more.