Evolving Role of MR Imaging and PET in Assessing Osteoporosis.

Abstract

An imbalance in bone remodeling results in many metabolic bone diseases, such as osteoporosis. fluorine-18 sodium fluoride PET imaging allows the assessment of bone remodeling process in a anatomy specific manner. On the other hand structural imaging modalities such as MRI can now generate high resolution images of bone including the trabecular and cortical microstructure. Molecular (functional) imaging with PET in conjunction with structural imaging has the potential to improve the way metabolic bone diseases are managed in the clinic.