Right coronary MR angiography at 7 T: a direct quantitative and qualitative comparison with 3 T in young healthy volunteers.
OBJECTIVE
To objectively compare quantitative parameters related to image quality attained at coronary magnetic resonance (MR) angiography of the right coronary artery (RCA) performed at 7 T and 3 T.


METHODS
Institutional review board approval was obtained, and volunteers provided signed informed consent. Ten healthy adult volunteers (mean age ± standard deviation, 25 years ± 4; seven men, three women) underwent navigator-gated three-dimensional MR angiography of the RCA at 7 T and 3 T. For 7 T, a custom-built quadrature radiofrequency transmit-receive surface coil was used. At 3 T, a commercial body radiofrequency transmit coil and a cardiac coil array for signal reception were used. Segmented k-space gradient-echo imaging with spectrally selective adiabatic fat suppression was performed, and imaging parameters were similar at both field strengths. Contrast-to-noise ratio between blood and epicardial fat; signal-to-noise ratio of the blood pool; RCA vessel sharpness, diameter, and length; and navigator efficiency were quantified at both field strengths and compared by using a Mann-Whitney U test.


RESULTS
The contrast-to-noise ratio between blood and epicardial fat was significantly improved at 7 T when compared with that at 3 T (87 ± 34 versus 52 ± 13; P = .01). Signal-to-noise ratio of the blood pool was increased at 7 T (109 ± 47 versus 67 ± 19; P = .02). Vessel sharpness obtained at 7 T was also higher (58% ± 9 versus 50% ± 5; P = .04). At the same time, RCA vessel diameter and length and navigator efficiency showed no significant field strength-dependent difference.


CONCLUSIONS
In our quantitative and qualitative study comparing in vivo human imaging of the RCA at 7 T and 3 T in young healthy volunteers, parameters related to image quality attained at 7 T equal or surpass those from 3 T.
van Elderen
Saskia G C
SG
Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Versluis
Maarten J
MJ
Westenberg
Jos J M
JJ
Agarwal
Harsh
H
Smith
Nadine B
NB
Stuber
Matthias
M
de Roos
Albert
A
Webb
Andrew G
AG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric