Applications of Hybrid PET/Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Central Nervous System Disorders

Abstract

PET with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is used to assess a wide array of inflammatory and neoplastic disorders. FDG-PET has shown particular utility in the evaluation of disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). Although fused PET/computed tomography (CT) is frequently used across the globe for these diseases, recent evidence has pointed to PET/magnetic resonance (MR) imaging as a more sensitive and specific molecular imaging modality. This article reviews the literature regarding the advantages of PET/MR imaging compared with PET/CT imaging, especially in CNS disease. It also introduces a new concept for PET-based evaluation of patients with neurodegenerative disorders: global disease assessment.