Ultra high resolution venography using T2* weighted imaging at 7T MRI

Throughout the last two decades, MRI has been ameliorated by a dramatic increase in the field strength; from 0.015 to 7 Tesla (T) MR systems. Ultrahigh-field MR system (beyond 3T) has great potential to produce newly improved imaging capabilities for both clinical diagnosis and basic science research. The primary purpose of venography was the description of cerebral veins, but it has also been applied successfully in imaging of stroke, multiple sclerosis, tumors or hemorrhagic lesions. By now susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) has played part of the clinical diagnosis at 1.5T and 3.0T MR scanning [1,2]. Recently, studies have reported the potential of venography study at 7T MRI [3]. The aim of this study was to optimize and to evaluate ultra high resolution 3D venography for the visualization of micro-cerebral veins at 7 T MRI.