Image artifacts from MR-based attenuation correction in clinical, whole-body PET/MRI

Purpose Integrated whole-body PET/MRI tomographs have become available. PET/MR imaging has the potential to supplement, or even replace combined PET/CT imaging in selected clinical indications. However, this is true only if methodological pitfalls and image artifacts arising from novel MR-based attenuation correction (MR-AC) are fully understood. Results Here we present PET/MR image artifacts following routine MR-AC, as most frequently observed in clinical operations of an integrated whole-body PET/MRI system. Conclusion A clinical adoption of integrated PET/MRI should entail the joint image display and interpretation of MR data, MR-based attenuation maps and uncorrected plus attenuation-corrected PET images in order to recognize potential pitfalls from MR-AC and to ensure clinically accurate image interpretation.