Philips Ingenuity TF PET/MR is pending 510(k) clearance in the US, but the company is promoting it at RSNA 2011 with high expectations.
The product will compete with combination PET/MR offerings from GE and Siemens.
In Philips’ version the MR and PET scanners are almost 10 feet apart, with the patient table in the middle. The table rotates so the patient is scanned in the exact same position in each machine sequentially. Data then are merged.
The product is especially good for soft tissue imaging, such as for cancer staging. Its low-dose also makes it useful in pediatric applications. The does can be less than half of a PET/CT scenario, because the CT does is eliminated.
Sample soft tissue images for oncology and neurology application:
Philips has plans to offer its existing MR users an upgrade program, should the product be approved.
