Towards a hybrid low-cost MR-PET technology with therapeutic ultrasound capabilities.

Motivation: Hybrid medical devices can enhance diagnostic and therapeutic applications but are typically costly, large and inaccessible. Goal(s): To develop a trimodal MR-PET-FUS system utilizing low-field MRI for a more affordable, accessible solution. Approach: We integrated a 72 mT Halbach MRI scanner with PET and FUS technologies. We worked with a cylindrical phantom containing a copper-sulphate solution, gelatin, and a radioactive tracer. The system uses PET and MRI for imaging and FUS for heating. Results: We have achieved simultaneous MR-PET imaging and successfully heated the phantom with FUS, demonstrating low-field MRI compatibility in a trimodal setup. Impact: We present the first low-field MRI-integrated trimodal MR-PET-FUS system, enabling affordable, accessible devices. Having demonstrated simultaneous MR-PET acquisition and FUS heating, this work opens the path for cost-effective, multimodal diagnostics and treatment applications.