Comparison of the accuracy of evaluating the attenuation correction and tumor size during sequential performance of breast 18F-FDG PET CT and PET/MRI

Hybrid PET/MRI systems are a promising diagnostic area in mammology due to the combined information about breast tumors metabolism and anatomical features. Breast MRI with dynamic contrast enhancement has a higher diagnostic accuracy in detecting primary breast tumors compared to CT. Along with this, attenuation correction in PET/MRI is associated with technical difficulties. The aim of the study was to assess the accuracy of the attenuation correction of breast 18F-FDG PET/MRI compared to 18F-FDG PET/CT and to compare the size of the primary tumor with sequential 18F-FDG PET/CT and 18F-FDG PET/MRI of the breast. The studies were carried out sequentially, on one administration of the radiopharmaceutical, the average interval between studies was 43 minutes. Based on the analysis and statistical processing of data, a conclusion is made about the identity of the accuracy of the correction of attenuation of PET based on the methods of MRI and CT. CT is characterized by an underestimation of the size of the tumor compared to MRI, which is not systematic. The technique of 18F-FDG PET/MRI of the mammary glands is technically feasible, not inferior to 18F-FDG PET/CT in assessing the level of tumor metabolism and has the advantage in determining the size of the tumor.