7 Tesla MRI : Progress towards Clinical Applications in Neuroradiology

Introduction. The proliferation of 3T MRI scanners in the routine practice of neuroradiology has led to increasing appreciation for the advantages and disadvantages of high-field imaging, especially with the incorporation of advanced physiologic modalities such as perfusion, diffusion, and functional imaging into routine clinical protocols and the widespread adoption of parallel imaging techniques [1]. High-resolution anatomic imaging at 3T, compared to imaging at 1.5T, has improved the characterization of epileptogenic substrates, allowed noninvasive imaging of the intracranial arterial wall, improved depiction of the cranial nerves, and enhanced diagnosis of small, previously undiagnosed perforating artery infarcts and brain parenchymal metastases, to name only a few successful applications. It has also increased the speed with which examinations can be performed, especially when combined with parallel imaging techniques. With the growing number of 7T installations in the research setting, the question has emerged: can similar advantages be realized by transitioning certain applications from 3T to 7T?