title: Short-term side-effects of brain MR examination at 7 T: a single-centre experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study patient tolerability of brain imaging that employs an ultrahigh field (7 T) MR system
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 180 subjects that underwent brain MR examination at 7 T. A tolerability test consisting of two parts (during patient table motion and during the examination) was administered to all subjects in order to monitor their discomfort. The scores range from 0 to 5 for the first part, and from 0 to 10 for the second part, the total score of each subject therefore ranging from 0 (no side effects reported) to 15 (lowest tolerability)
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 51% of subjects reported at least one side effect but all were mild in intensity and did not require examination interruption. No serious adverse event was reported. The total score (mean ± standard deviation) was 1.1 ± 1.5 out of 15 (mean score 0.4 ± 0.7 out of 5 during patient table motion and 0.7 ± 1.1 out of 10 during MR). Patient discomfort was not related to gender or health status, but it was reduced with time after system installation with increasing operator experience in performing UHF MR examinations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrahigh field MRI is well tolerated without excessive discomfort to subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • 7-T MRI is well tolerated with low incidence of side effects • The subjects' discomfort during 7-T MRI is reduced as the operators' experience increases • 7-T MRI is practicable in healthy subjects and patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Cisanello, 56124, Pisa, Italy, mircocosottini@libero.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cosottini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Frosini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Biagi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pesaresi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Costagli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tiberi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Symms
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tosetti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult