Northwestern Memorial unveils Illinois' first combined MRI-PET scanner
Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago has become first in Illinois to house a combined MRI and PET scanner, a machine that reduces the time a patient spends on imaging tests, while producing high quality images at lower doses of radiation.
The Biography mMR scanner from Siemens Healthineers is placed in the department of radiology and is available to specialties throughout the Northwestern Medicine system. According to Yahoo News, this machine provides real-time information on anatomic structure and metabolic activity at the molecular level in the same sitting.
One of the benefits of the combined scanner is the time a patient who needs an MRI and PET scan will spend. On average, undergoing tests separately will take about two hours. With this combined scanner, physicians can acquire a set of images within 45 minutes.
Northwestern Memorial Hospital will also use this machine for investigational protocols to advance molecular diagnosis and personalized medicine and studies related to the diagnosis of mental health disorders and brain development in adolescents.
More on the combined scanner:
Jodelle joined TriMed Media Group in 2016 as a senior writer, focusing on content for Radiology Business and Health Imaging. After receiving her master's from DePaul University, she worked as a news reporter and communications specialist.