Main clinical applications | Structural imaging | Structural imaging | Structural imaging | Tracer imaging | Tracer imaging | Tracer imaging |
Spatial resolution | 1 mm | <1 mm | 1 mm | 4 mm | 3–10 mm | 1 mm |
Temporal resolution | <1 second | Seconds | Seconds to hours | Minutes | Minutes | <1 second to minutes |
Contrast agents/tracers | Microbubbles | Iodine | Gadolinium, iron oxide particles | Radioactive tracers | Radioactive tracers | Iron oxide particles |
Sensitivity | Low | Low | Low | High | High | High |
Patient risk | Heating and cavitation | Radiation | Heating and peripheral nerve stimulation | Radiation | Radiation | Heating and peripheral nerve stimulation |
Cost | Low | Medium | High | High | Medium | Medium |