Fusion Imaging: The Double Impact

Abstract

The principal aim of diagnostic imaging is to evaluate the true extent of disease to best determine surgical and therapeutic options. Pretherapeutic radiological tumor staging includes evaluation of the size, location and extent of the primary tumor and infiltration into surrounding vascular, visceral and bony structures. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron-emission tomography, etc. are the diagnostic procedures used commonly have certain limitations. Linking functional and anatomic image data via fusion of PET and CT/MR, or use of combined PET/CT imaging provides additional clinically relevant information. It may be the modality of choice because it almost completely eliminates the false-positive and false-negative PET findings.

Keywords

• Fusion imaging
• CT
• MRI
• PET