The Federal Center for Brain and Neurotechnologies of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia launched the first PET/MRI machine in Russia. On May 2, Izvestia was told about this by the head of the department of radiological and radionuclide diagnostic methods, MD, Professor Mikhail Dolgushin.
He noted that PET/MRI is a major technological breakthrough in radiology, as it combines positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
“This system is the next step in the development of PET examinations, which are already being heard by both specialists and patients today. The ability of high-field MRI to create ultra-high resolution images, combined with the ability of PET to display tissue metabolism and molecular processes, allows us to obtain unique images that display the position of organs, their functions and metabolism in a single image, ”Dolgushin said.
According to him, the method can significantly reduce radiation exposure, while providing high image quality, an order of magnitude superior to CT data. During the study, information is collected simultaneously, without changing the position of the patient. This allows specialists to assess tissue function and compare it to a near-perfect anatomical MRI image at a particular point in time.
As noted by Dolgushin, the advantage of PET/MRI lies in the possibility of diagnosing soft tissue formations that are poorly contrasted by CT. The use of the hybrid method allows assessing the degree of invasion of adjacent tissues, accurately localizing changes, identifying soft tissue metastases (in the lymph nodes, peritoneum, liver, etc.).
“A special role is played by the study of PET / MRI in epilepsy, including in children, in patients with an unidentified focus of activity (MR-negative cases), in drug-resistant epilepsy – that is, one that cannot be cured with standard drugs. Even in the most complex and ambiguous cases, a hybrid study makes it possible to identify (localize) the epileptogenic zone or indicate in which cerebral hemisphere the most active focus is in multiple (multifocal) epilepsy,” the professor added.
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He drew attention to the fact that the capabilities of the hybrid PET/MRI method make it possible to see and quantify any process in tissues, the main thing is to select and synthesize a molecule with the most similar characteristics, label it with a radionuclide and scan it.
“An important factor in the use of PET/MRI is the almost complete absence of radiation during scanning, which is very important for frequently repeated scanning procedures. For example, with lymphomas, it is sometimes necessary to conduct up to 4-5 studies per year, which is even more important for pediatric patients. Here the PET/MRI method is really indispensable and removes these limitations. The wide possibilities of the method in diagnosing lymphomas in combination with MRI in the DWI mode (diffusion-weighted images) of the whole body further reveals the value of diagnostics, which is especially important in pediatrics,” Dolgushin summed up.
Last November, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Federal Center for Brain and Neurotechnologies of the FMBA, where he was introduced to the latest methods of treatment. In particular, the president was shown how high-tech operations are carried out. It was clarified that at that time more than 1,150 surgical interventions had already been performed at the center.
