INTRODUCING THE BIOGRAPH mMR FROM SIEMENS
Article provided by Siemens Healthcare
S
iemens Healthcare unveiled the first Biograph mMR in a hospital setting in November 2010 at Munich’s
University Hospital Rechts der Isar in Germany, and since its introduction, the Biograph mMR has continued to create a buzz worldwide, as a leading diagnostic tool. Physicians, technicians and the medical community at large have been discussing the applications of this unique technology. The Biograph mMR is the world’s
only simultaneous, whole-body molecular MR system. It brings MR and PET together to provide a more thorough understanding of disease states and the progression of disease. Unlike other systems, the Biograph mMR can produce full-body MR and PET scans simultaneously, within a standard MR time slot. By performing two exams at once – rather than sequential MR and PET exams – times can be shortened by up to 50%, thus boosting workflow, reducing costs, and ultimately leading to faster diagnoses and patient satisfaction. Based on these features, it is clear that both patients and technologists are more comfortable with the Biograph mMR because patients need only be positioned once for the combined MR and PET exams. Additionally, there is no coil changing or repositioning involved in the process, and as there is no radiation dose from MR, the overall dose of a Biograph mMR exam is much lower than with PET-CT. The reduced radiation exposure is beneficial to both staff working in the healthcare setting and patients undergoing examinations. This low dose technology is especially important in diagnostic options for pediatrics. Clinical applications of the Biograph mMR technology include the staging on oncology cases, cardiac imaging and neurology studies, as follows:
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www.lifesciencesmagazines.com ONCOLOGY
MR and PET come together to support tumor staging, displaying a clear image of the pathology. Throughout the body, PET provides metabolic details in the body while MR brings structural and additional functional information to the image. In addition, MR acquisition can be used to correct for motion-related effects in PET, greatly improving image quality.
CARDIOLOGY The constant motion of the beating heart is well imaged with state-of-the-art triggering and gating tools found in today’s 3T MRI systems. This gating information can also be used to drastically reduce the motion effects in the PET data leading to a clearer image.
NEUROLOGY In the brain, the structural and functional detail of MR combines with PET metabolic
activity to support early detection of disease, precise planning of intervention, and effective follow-up after treatment. There is the potential for a more complete imaging picture and better understanding of neurologic pathologies. In addition to the clinical applications
of the Biograph mMR, there are opportunities for the advancement of new areas of research. Ultimately, the advent of true simultaneous molecular MR changes the playing field, as it has the ability to launch users to the very frontier of medical diagnostics and research, offering new opportunities in the areas of funding, grants, donations, and publishing. As the world leader in both MR
and PET, Siemens has demonstrated its engineering expertise, fully integrating both systems. By doing so, Siemens has set new standards for imaging diagnostics. ■
AH Image © SIEMENS HEALTHCARE
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