Exploring Peripheral Nerve, Macro and Micro-Vasculature Imaging Applications at Ultra-High Field MRI.

INTRODUCTION: Objective, non-invasive, sequential monitoring of peripheral nerve(PN) regeneration and revascularization after surgery is critical for evaluation of the efficacy of re-innervation and treatment strategies that may have important implications in recovery and outcome in PN/vessel injury as well as in VCA. For the first time, our group built a forearm/hand MRI coil for 7 Tesla MRI that provides extremely high resolution [1] of upper extremity anatomy including neurovascular structures. This study utilizes 7T strength to explore nerve (Diffusion imaging) and vessel imaging (Non-contrast enhanced(nCE) MRA imaging and vessel segmentation)