Yale New Haven Hospital Installs Connecticut's First PET/MRI System, Expanding Advanced Neuroscience and Cancer Imaging Capabilities

New Haven, CT (September 22, 2026) – Yale New Haven Hospital has installed a state-of-the-art positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) system and will become the first facility in Connecticut to offer PET/MRI imaging when the Adams Neurosciences Center opens. 

The 9-ton imaging system integrates two advanced technologies, PET and MRI, into a single platform, enabling physicians to simultaneously capture metabolic, molecular and anatomical information during one exam. The technology is expected to enhance the evaluation of complex neurological conditions, including Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy, while also supporting advanced cancer diagnosis and treatment monitoring.

Yale New Haven Hospital has a long history of advancing medical imaging in the state, having opened Connecticut's first magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) center in 1986.

The PET/MRI system will be housed within the Adams Neurosciences Center, a transformative new destination for neurological and neurosurgical care. The center is expected to welcome its first patients in 2027.

"By performing both exams simultaneously, clinicians can see both structure and function at the same time, helping provide a more complete picture of a patient's condition," said Christopher Whitlow, MD, PhD, Radiologist in Chief, Yale New Haven Hospital, and professor and chair of Radiology, Yale School of Medicine. "This technology will play an important role in both patient care and clinical research, particularly in neuroscience and oncologic imaging."

Unlike conventional approaches that often require separate imaging studies to assess anatomy and disease activity, PET/MRI combines both sets of information in a single scan. The system overlays functional and molecular data obtained through PET imaging onto the highly detailed soft-tissue images generated by MRI, providing physicians with more precise and comprehensive diagnostic information.

PET imaging uses a safe injected radiotracer to identify areas of increased cellular activity, inflammation or disease processes, while MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed images of the body's structures. By combining these capabilities, physicians gain a more complete understanding of disease processes, helping improve diagnosis, treatment planning and ongoing monitoring.

Additional benefits of PET/MRI include lower radiation exposure compared with PET/CT imaging because it eliminates the need for a CT scan component. The technology also delivers superior soft-tissue visualization, particularly for the brain, spine, pelvis, liver, heart and other areas where MRI offers significant advantages.

The advanced imaging platform is expected to be especially valuable for evaluating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, localizing the source of epileptic seizures, assessing treatment response and characterizing tumors. It also provides physicians with combined molecular and functional imaging biomarkers that can help monitor disease progression and treatment effectiveness over time.

The Adams Neurosciences Center will serve as the foundation of Yale New Haven Health's advanced neurological and neurosurgical care programs. Spanning more than 500,000 square feet and anchored by two patient care towers, the facility will provide highly specialized care for patients from across the region and nation.

Clinical services will focus on conditions including epilepsy and seizure disorders, movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, spinal disorders, and neurovascular conditions including stroke and aneurysms. The center will also offer innovative neuromodulation therapies designed to alter pain signals and improve quality of life for patients with complex neurological conditions.

In addition to advanced neuroimaging capabilities, the center will feature specialized neurosurgery operating rooms, rehabilitation services, inpatient care units with all private patient rooms, and dedicated spaces for research and innovation.

The addition of Connecticut's first PET/MRI system reflects Yale New Haven Health's commitment to bringing leading-edge technology, research and patient-centered care together in one destination, enhancing both clinical outcomes and the patient experience. 

Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH), part of Yale New Haven Health, is a nationally recognized, 1,541-bed, not-for-profit hospital serving as the primary teaching hospital for the Yale School of Medicine (YSM). Founded as the fourth voluntary hospital in the U.S. in 1826, today, YNHH has two New Haven-based campuses, and also includes Yale New Haven Children's Hospital, Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital. YNHH has received three Magnet designations from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nation’s highest honor of nursing excellence. YNHH has a combined medical staff of more than 5,400 university and community physicians practicing in more than 100 specialties. www.ynhh.org