Same day comparison of PET/CT and PET/MR in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis

Background Inflammatory cardiac disorders, in particular, sarcoidosis, play an important role in left ventricular dysfunction, conduction abnormalities, and arrhythmias. In this study, we compared the imaging characteristics and diagnostic information obtained when patients were imaged sequentially with PET/CT and then with hybrid PET/MRI on the same day following a single F-18-FDG injection. Methods Ten patients with known or suspected sarcoidosis underwent imaging in sequence of (a) Tc-99m-MIBI, (b) F-18-FDG with PET/CT, and (c) F-18-FDG with 3T PET/MRI. Images were compared quantitatively by determination of SUVmax and SUV on a voxel by voxel basis, and qualitatively by two experienced observers. Results When both platforms were compared quantitatively, similar data for the evaluation of enhanced F-18-FDG uptake were obtained. Qualitatively, there were (1) several instances of normal perfusion with delayed enhancement and/or focal F-18-FDG uptake, (2) comparable enhanced F-18-FDG uptake on PET/CT vs. PET/MRI, and (3) diversity in disease patterns with delayed enhancement only, increased F-18-FDG uptake only, or both. Conclusion In this limited patient study, PET/CT and PET/MR provided similar diagnostic data for F-18-FDG uptake, and the concurrent acquisition of MR images provided further insight into the disease process.