title: Magnetic resonance imaging of the canine brain at 7 T.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to describe relevant canine brain structures as seen on T2-weighted images following magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at 7 T and to compare the results with imaging at 1.5 T. Imaging was performed on five healthy laboratory beagle dogs using 1.5 and 7 T clinical scanners. At 1.5 T, spin echo images were acquired, while gradient echo images were acquired at 3 T. Image quality and conspicuity of anatomic structures were evaluated qualitatively by direct comparison of the images obtained from the two different magnetic fields. The signal-to-nose ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated and compared between 1.5 and 7 T. The T2-weighted images at 7 T provided good spatial and contrast resolution for the identification of clinically relevant brain anatomy; these images provided better delineation and conspicuity of the brain stem and cerebellar structures, which were difficult to unequivocally identify at 1.5 T. However, frontal and parietal lobe and the trigeminal nerve were difficult to identify at 7 T due to susceptibility artifact. The SNR and CNR of the images at 7 T were significantly increased up to 318% and 715% compared with the 1.5 T images. If some disadvantages of 7 T imaging, such as susceptibility artifacts, technical difficulties, and high cost, can be improved, 7 T clinical MR imaging could provide a good experimental and diagnostic tool for the evaluation of canine brain disorders.
authors.affiliation: BK21 Program of Basic & Diagnostic Veterinary Specialist Program for Animal Diseases and Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Byeong-Teck
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Ki-Jin
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Dong-Pyo
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Jae-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Chae-Young
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Chul
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jong-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Ju-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong-In
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Young-Bo
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eung-Je
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Zang-Hee
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hee-Myung
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004285:Dogs / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*