MR venography of the human brain using susceptibility weighted imaging at very high field strength.
OBJECTIVE
We investigate the implications of high magnetic field strength on MR venography based on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) and estimate the optimum echo time to obtain maximum contrast between blood and brain tissue.


METHODS
We measured tissue contrast and T2* relaxation times at 7 T of gray matter, white matter, and venous blood in vivo.


RESULTS
T2* relaxation times of gray matter, white matter, and venous blood in vivo yielded 32.9 +/- 2.3, 27.7 +/- 4.3, and 7.4 +/- 1.4 ms, respectively. Optimum TE was found to be 15 ms which is supported by theoretical considerations. Using this optimum TE, we acquired 3D high resolution datasets with a large volume coverage in a short measurement time that show very detailed microanatomical structures of the human brain such as intracortical veins and laminar cortical substructures.


CONCLUSIONS
By applying optimised vessel filters (vesselness filter and vessel enhancing diffusion) whole brain MR venograms can be obtained at 7 T with a significantly reduced measurement time compared to 3 T.
Koopmans
Peter J
PJ
FC Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen, 6500 HB, The Netherlands.
Manniesing
Rashindra
R
Niessen
Wiro J
WJ
Viergever
Max A
MA
Barth
Markus
M
D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D004867:Equipment Design; D005374:Filtration; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010690:Phlebography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors