Table 3 Advantages of PET, MRI, and PET/MRI in different cardiac applications
From: Incremental value of PET and MRI in the evaluation of cardiovascular abnormalities
Indication | PET | MRI | PET/MRI |
|---|---|---|---|
Myocardial structure | Limited due to spatial resolution | Excellent due to good spatial resolution and several sequences | MRI contributes to improved spatial resolution |
Ventricular and valvular function | Limited | Highly accurate ventricular function Valvular function can be quantified | MRI component provides the ventricular function |
Metabolic activity of lesions | Excellent | No metabolic information | PET component provides information on metabolic activity |
Artifacts - Motion - Respiratory - Cardiac - Partial volume | Artifacts can limit diagnosis | Several solutions available for artifacts | The MRI component can enable reducing artifacts |
Cardiac masses | Metabolic activity | Morphological information Tissue characterization Functional quantification | Characterization of mass Localization of abnormal FDG activity in PET scan Assessment of cardiac involvement of mass seen in PET Local staging M staging Functional evaluation Response to therapy |
Inflammatory disorders | Inflammatory metabolic activity | Morphological information Activity of lesion | Complementary information provided by different mechanism Morphological, functional, and metabolic information |
Vasculitis | Metabolic activity | Disease activity Morphological information Vascular anatomy, complications | Evaluation of disease activity Comprehensive evaluation of vascular tree Lower radiation than PET/CT |
Atherosclerosis | Plaque inflammation Targeted isotopes | Plaque component characterization Luminal evaluation | MRI localizes activity of PET Perfect spatial alignment Evaluation of lumen with MRI Lower radiation than PET/CT Targeted isotopes localized with MRI |
Myocardial ischemia | Accurate Absolute quantification of MBF and CFT possible | Highly accurate Can quantify ventricular function Coronary anatomy can be evaluated | Comprehensive evaluation of perfusion along with vascular anatomy and function |
Myocardial infarction | Accurate, reliable | Highly accurate Functional evaluation Complications Prognostic value | Complementary information |