The synergistic effect of PET/MRI in whole-body oncologic imaging: an Expert Review

PurposePositron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a hybrid imaging modality that combines MRI and PET imaging into a comprehensive modality for oncologic evaluation. MRI contributes with excellent soft tissue contrast resolution along with multiparametric information and PET with exquisite high sensitivity. Together they facilitate lesion detection and characterization, TNM staging, and assessment of treatment response. This review aimed to survey the published PET/MRI research findings for body oncology and reflect upon them.MethodsThis narrative overview of the literature summarizes the findings of published research articles on PET/MRI for oncology (excluding neurologic applications) indexed in the online databases Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus, from its commercial introduction in 2011 to the present (2023).ResultsThe theoretical advantages of PET/MRI have been demonstrated in practice with studies showing PET/MRI has comparable or superior sensitivity and specificity to PET/CT and MRI in most cancers, with the advantage of being acquired in a single session. Limitations include the comparatively lesser availability and the higher cost, both of which are predicted to be offset by increased adoption.ConclusionsPET/MRI has the potential to become the standard test for staging and post-treatment evaluation of many primary tumors.