Medizinische Hochschule Hannover : PET Center

Copyright: Clinical Department of Nuclear Medicine Hannover Medical School

The PET Center of the MHH

The MHH's newly expanded PET Center, which opened in 2013, uses the latest technology to carry out highly sensitive and precise diagnostics on special issues relating to tumor, inflammation, heart and brain diagnostics.

A technology partnership with Siemens ensures that the department remains at the cutting edge of technology in the long term and that the MHH continues to play a pioneering role in PET.

Historically, the MHH can look back on decades of experience in this field as one of the first PET operators in Germany . Thanks to the equipment with a cyclotron and a radiochemistry laboratory next to the PET-CT camera, it is possible to synthesize and use short-lived substances that cannot be used at centers without a cyclotron.

In addition to the clinically approved commercial tracer fluorodeoxyglucose, the MHH also uses other innovative tracers for PET diagnostics, for which it has its own manufacturing authorization and thus meets the necessary legal requirements. You can find more information in our flyer. The Clinical Department of Nuclear Medicine at the MHH is now equipped with the EARL FDG PET/CT Accreditation of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) and thus offers high-quality patient care in accordance with EANM standards.

Range of services PET Center

PET-CT in oncology

Tumor diagnostics with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (staging of various malignancies, recurrence diagnostics, therapy control, dignity assessment of unclear round foci, primary tumor search)
Prostate carcinoma diagnostics with Ga-68 DOTA-PSMA (N/M staging, recurrence diagnostics)
Brain tumor diagnostics with C-11 methionine or F-18 fluoroethyltyrosine (recurrence diagnostics, therapy planning)
Diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors with Ga-68 DOTATATE (staging, diagnosis of type, recurrence diagnosis, treatment planning, treatment follow-up)
Diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors/pheochromocytomas with F-18 DOPA (second line diagnostics with low DOTATATE storage)

PET-CT in cardiology

Myocardial perfusion diagnostics with quantitative blood flow measurement with N-13 ammonia (coronary heart disease, microcirculatory disorders)
Myocardial vitality diagnostics (detection of "hibernating myocardium" in heart failure)
Inflammation diagnostics (cardiac sarcoidosis, post-infarction inflammation, arteriosclerosis activity)

PET-CT in neurology/psychiatry

Dementia diagnostics with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (neurodegenerative systemic diseases)
Epilepsy diagnostics with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (focus search)
Activation examination of the auditory pathway with O-15 water (for implant therapy)
Cardiac autonomic denervation measurement with C-11 hydroxyephedrine (for Parkinson's syndrome)

PET-CT in inflammation diagnostics

Whole-body diagnostics with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose in systemic inflammatory diseases (spread diagnostics and activity assessment)
Whole-body diagnostics with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose for fever of unknown origin (localization diagnostics)

Diagnostic CT with contrast medium

Due to the close interdisciplinary cooperation between nuclear medicine and radiology at the MHH, and due to the high-quality 128-line CT component of the PET-CT camera, all PET examinations can be performed either with the standard low-dose CT for attenuation correctionor - if clinically required - in combination with a in combination with a fully-fledged, contrast-enhanced diagnostic CT can be performed.

Virtual visit to the PET center

Entrance

Please first report to our registration desk in the entrance area of building K7 on level H0. The entrance to the PET Center is located at the back of the main corridor.

Reception

Directly behind the entrance is a reception area where the center's MTAs prepare examination-specific documents. There is a waiting area for patients and their relatives.

Physician's interview

In the discussion with the physician, the patient is informed about the examination procedure. The venous injection of the PET radiopharmaceutical is carried out either in an application room or…

Waiting after application

Relaxed waiting is important during radiopharmaceutical uptake in order to avoid unwanted accumulation in the muscles. The PET center has 3 individual rooms for patients.

Scanner

The actual examination then takes place in the camera room. The examination is carried out on the Biograph mCT 128 Flow of the MHH.

MTA supervision

The MTAs ensure comfortable storage and control the system with visual contact from the control room.

End of investigation

The images are analyzed in detail. A result is therefore not usually available immediately after the PET scan. It is sent to the referring physician in a letter of findings.

After the investigation

The patient can leave the Department directly after the end of the examination and hardly needs to take any precautions.

Technical equipment

Siemens Biograph mCT 128 Flow

The new PET center at the MHH is equipped with a Siemens Biograph mCT 128 Flow PET-CT system. A state-of-the-art camera with optimum resolution and sensitivity.

Large opening

The camera opening has an extended diameter of 78 cm. This reduces claustrophobia and enables flexible storage options.

Ultra-HD

The camera is equipped with high-definition image reconstruction and time-of-flight technology ("Ultra-HD").

Long field of vision

For fast images and increased sensitivity, the camera's field of view is extended to 21 cm by a fourth detector ring.

Flow Motion

Through continuous table movement, as opposed to the previous step-by-step procedure, "Flow Motion" enables flexible examination protocols.

Quantification

Quantitative parameters for initial diagnosis and follow-up (Standardized Uptake Value (SUV), myocardial blood flow, glucose uptake compared to reference collective).

128-line CT

In addition to the very high level of accuracy, comprehensive options are offered for reducing radiation exposure, speeding up the examination and increasing patient comfort.