MO‐B‐352‐02: Multi‐Modality Imaging: Physics and Technology Considerations in Diagnostic and Image‐Guided Procedures

Medical imaging technologies that combine the capabilities of two or more imaging modalities are becoming increasingly important in the diagnosis, staging, treatment, and monitoring of disease. In particular, the combination of morphological imaging modalities (e.g., x‐ray, CT, ultrasound, and MR) with functional or molecular imaging modalities (e.g., optical, PET, SPECT, and functional MR) offers synergistic advances. This session provides an overview of technical and physical aspects of such developments, reviews the most prevalent technologies under consideration, addresses the challenges and limitations of such technologies, and discusses the opportunities for future research in multi‐modality imaging. Example multi‐modality approaches include x‐ray / ultrasound, CT / PET, MR / PET, and Optical / CT. Applications include pre‐clinical imaging, diagnosis and staging, image guidance, and treatment response monitoring. Educational Objectives: 1. An understanding of the technical and physical factors of multi‐modality image quality, registration, and accuracy. 2. An understanding of the challenges and potential opportunities associated with various multi‐modality imaging technologies. 3. An understanding of the various clinical applications enabled by such technologies.