BS 3. Translational Aspects

Key Questions

• Is pre-clinical PET/MRI beneficial for small animal research?

• What are the advantages of pre-clinical studies compared to clinical studies?

• Which PET/MRI system design is most useful for pre-clinical imaging today?

Status Quo

◼ PET/MRI offers many advantages such as reduced radiation dose, functional parameters and improved tissue characterization compared to pre-clinical PET/CT.

◼ First pre-clinical PET/MRI systems are already in use.

◼ Fast physiology in animals as well as higher throughput favour simultaneous PET/MRI.

Conclusions and Open Questions

➢ Studies are needed to show the quantitative accuracy and reproducibility of small animal PET/MRI.

➢ Complex research questions can be studied more easily using the controlled conditions of pre-clinical research.

➢ Sequential approaches are suitable to combine anatomy with function; however, multifunctional research questions are more likely to be answered using isochronous PET/MRI.

➢ Translation mandates interdisciplinary training for users.

➢ Funding and cost–benefit models will impact the progress of pre-clinical PET/MRI.