Initial Experience With Simultaneous 18F-FDG PET/MRI in the Evaluation of Cardiac Sarcoidosis and Myocarditis. (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hanneman, Kate; Kadoch, Michael; Guo, Henry H.; Jamali, Mehran; Quon, Andrew; Iagaru, Andrei; Herfkens, Robert
• Is Part Of: Clinical nuclear medicine. Volume 42:Number 7(2017)
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: cardiac sarcoid -- PET -- PET/MRI; Nuclear medicine -- Periodicals; Radioisotope scanning -- Periodicals; Nuclear Medicine -- Periodicals; 616.07575
• DOI: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000001669
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0363-9762

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare combined PET/MRI with PET/CT and cardiac MRI in the evaluation of cardiac sarcoidosis and myocarditis. Methods: Ten patients (4 men and 6 women; 56.1 ± 9.6 years old) were prospectively enrolled for evaluation of suspected cardiac sarcoidosis or myocarditis. Written informed consent was obtained. Following administration of 9.9 ± 0.9 mCi 18 F-FDG, patients underwent standard cardiac PET/CT followed by combined PET/MRI using a simultaneous 3-T scanner. Cardiac MRI sequences included ECG-triggered cine SSFP, T2-weighted, and late gadolinium-enhanced imaging. Myocardial involvement was assessed with separate analysis of combined PET/MRI, PET/CT, and cardiac MRI data using dedicated postprocessing software. Estimates of radiation dose were derived from the applied doses of 18 F-FDG and CT protocol parameters. Results: Imaging was acquired with a delay from 18 F-FDG injection of 90.2 ± 27.4 minutes for PET/CT and 207.7 ± 40.3 minutes for PET/MRI. Total scan time for PET/MRI was significantly longer than for PET/CT (81.4 ± 14.8 vs 12.0 minutes, P < 0.001). Total effective radiation dose was significantly lower for PET/MRI compared with PET/CT (6.9 ± 0.6 vs 8.2 ± 1.1 mSv, P = 0.007). There was no significant difference in the number of positive cases identified between combined PET/MRI (n = 10 [100%]), PET/CT (n = 6 [60%]), and cardiac MRI (n = 8 [80%]), P = 0.091. Conclusions: Simultaneous cardiac PET/MRI is feasible in the evaluation of cardiac sarcoidosis and myocarditis achieving diagnostic image quality.