Siemens Healthineers plans to support new paths for personalized care with PET/MR Biograph One

Not for publication in the U.S.

• PET and MR imaging combined: anatomical and functional information in one scan 
• Designed to support theranostics: a closer integration of diagnostics and therapy 
• AI-powered image reconstruction and simplified workflows for easier and faster operation 

With Biograph One¹, Siemens Healthineers introduces a new PET/MR scanner at RSNA 2024. The combination of positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is designed to enable the simultaneous visualization of organ location in the body, function, and cellular metabolism. This capability could open new possibilities in the field of theranostics, which aims for a closer integration of diagnostics and therapy, thus enabling personalized treatment. PET/MR has the potential to not only show if and where a tumor is located, but also its activity and response to medications. In general, aiding in diagnosis and staging as well as supporting therapy planning in a single examination could expedite the time-critical start of treatment. In Alzheimer’s disease, for instance, clinical studies have indicated the potential of PET/MR to become a conventional one-stop clinical imaging tool.² “

Modern imaging systems offer high precision in visualizing pathological changes and make a crucial contribution to diagnosing life-threatening and complex diseases such as cancer and neurological disorders,” said Andreas Schneck, head of Magnetic Resonance Imaging at Siemens Healthineers. “PET/MR can moreover be valuable to follow up disease progression and treatment effectiveness. It can help build a bridge to patient-focused, individualized, and adaptable therapies.” 

Dr. Ian Law, Professor, senior consultant, Rigshospitalet Copenhagen, said: “PET/MR in neurology and neuro-oncology is in high demand from referring clinicians and patients alike for the logistic convenience and the possibility of combining a high-quality molecular and anatomical examination. We are excited about the ambitious technology in PET/MR Biograph One and the possible impact on our diagnostic workflow and abilities to expand into new diagnostic fields.” 

Biograph One is expected to offer several features for faster acquisition times and more efficient workflows, with the goal of halving patient slot times.³ The MR technology is designed based on the established Siemens Healthineers 3 Tesla Magnetom Vida MR platform. Also planned is an accompanying digital PET detector with lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) crystals, founded on Biograph Vision technology and designed to enable images with high spatial resolution and ultra-fast time-of-flight (TOF).⁴ This could increase system sensitivity, for faster examinations and flexible dose administration. 

Currently around 70 percent of all PET/MR scans are lengthy whole-body exams. Biograph One is designed with a 35-cm axial FOV digital PET detector for scanning larger body regions. A large PET detector allows for a reduction in acquisition time for whole-body images: where seven bed position were previously necessary, the same exam could be carried out with Biograph One using fewer bed positions.³ One advantage of using a large detector in cancer cases is that brain tumors and lymph node metastases, for example, can be imaged together. 

The MR image reconstruction technology Deep Resolve in combination with acceleration techniques also plays a decisive role in further shortening the acquisition time.⁵ Advanced artificial-intelligence algorithms accelerate the scan and improve image quality. With Biograph One, the solution could be used not only for 2D but also for the planned 3D images to address a greater range of clinical questions. 

In addition, the system is designed to integrate the intelligent user interface myExam Companion to further simplify the workflow. AI and automation functions help radiology teams to work more efficiently.

Further information on Biograph One can be found here.