title: Non-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the small bowel at 7 Tesla in comparison to 1.5 Tesla: First steps towards clinical application.
abstract: To perform non-enhanced (NE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the small bowel at 7 Tesla (7T) and to compare it with 1.5 Tesla (1.5T).
  
  
  
  Twelve healthy subjects were prospectively examined using a 1.5T and 7T MRI system. Coronal and axial true fast imaging with steady-state precession (TrueFISP) imaging and a coronal T2-weighted (T2w) half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) sequence were acquired. Image analysis was performed by 1) visual evaluation of tissue contrast and detail detectability, 2) measurement and calculation of contrast ratios and 3) assessment of artifacts.
  
  
  
  NE MRI of the small bowel at 7T was technically feasible. In the vast majority of the cases, tissue contrast and image details were equivalent at both field strengths. At 7T, two cases revealed better detail detectability in the TrueFISP, and better contrast in the HASTE. Susceptibility artifacts and B1 inhomogeneities were significantly increased at 7T.
  
  
  
  This study provides first insights into NE ultra-high field MRI of the small bowel and may be considered an important step towards high quality T2w abdominal imaging at 7T MRI.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Radiology, University Hospital Muenster, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany. Electronic address: maria.hahnemann@ukmuenster.de.
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hahnemann
authors.affiliation: Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kraff
authors.affiliation: Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maderwald
authors.affiliation: Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Soeren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johst
authors.affiliation: Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Orzada
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Lale
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Umutlu
authors.affiliation: Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Medical Physics in Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ladd
authors.affiliation: Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; High Field and Hybrid MR Imaging, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Harald H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Quick
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lauenstein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016477:Artifacts; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: 7 tesla; Magnetic resonance imaging; Small bowel; T2-weighted imaging; Ultra-high field MRI