title: Progress and promises of human cardiac magnetic resonance at ultrahigh fields: a physics perspective.
abstract: A growing number of reports eloquently speak about explorations into cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) at ultrahigh magnetic fields (B0≥7.0 T). Realizing the progress, promises and challenges of ultrahigh field (UHF) CMR this perspective outlines current trends in enabling MR technology tailored for cardiac MR in the short wavelength regime. For this purpose many channel radiofrequency (RF) technology concepts are outlined. Basic principles of mapping and shimming of transmission fields including RF power deposition considerations are presented. Explorations motivated by the safe operation of UHF-CMR even in the presence of conductive implants are described together with the physics, numerical simulations and experiments, all of which detailing antenna effects and RF heating induced by intracoronary stents at 7.0 T. Early applications of CMR at 7.0 T and their clinical implications for explorations into cardiovascular diseases are explored including assessment of cardiac function, myocardial tissue characterization, MR angiography of large and small vessels as well as heteronuclear MR of the heart and the skin. A concluding section ventures a glance beyond the horizon and explores future directions. The goal here is not to be comprehensive but to inspire the biomedical and diagnostic imaging communities to throw further weight behind the solution of the many remaining unsolved problems and technical obstacles of UHF-CMR with the goal to transfer MR physics driven methodological advancements into extra clinical value.
authors.affiliation: Berlin Ultrahigh Field Facility, Max-Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany. thoralf.niendorf@mdc-berlin.de
authors.forename: Thoralf
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niendorf
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Graessl
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thalhammer
authors.forename: Matthias A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dieringer
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hezel
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waiczies
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ittermann
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Winter
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D010825:Physics; D011846:Radio Waves; D015607:Stents