title: High-resolution intracranial vessel wall MRI in an elderly asymptomatic population: comparison of 3T and 7T.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several intracranial vessel wall sequences have been described in recent literature, with either 3-T or 7-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In the current study, we compared 3-T and 7-T MRI in visualising both the intracranial arterial vessel wall and vessel wall lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one elderly asymptomatic volunteers were scanned by 3-T and 7-T MRI with an intracranial vessel wall sequence, both before and after contrast administration. Two raters scored image quality, and presence and characteristics of vessel wall lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vessel wall visibility was equal or significantly better at 7 T for the studied arterial segments, even though there were more artefacts hampering assessment. The better visualisation of the vessel wall at 7 T was most prominent in the proximal anterior cerebral circulation and the posterior cerebral artery. In the studied elderly asymptomatic population, 48 vessel-wall lesions were identified at 3 T, of which 7 showed enhancement. At 7 T, 79 lesions were identified, of which 29 showed enhancement. Seventy-one percent of all 3-T lesions and 59 % of all 7-T lesions were also seen at the other field strength.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the large variability in detected lesions at both field strengths, we believe 7-T MRI has the highest potential to identify the total burden of intracranial vessel wall lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Intracranial vessel wall visibility was equal or significantly better at 7-T MRI • Most vessel wall lesions in the cerebral arteries were found at 7-T MRI • Many intracranial vessel wall lesions showed enhancement after contrast administration • Large variability in detected intracranial vessel wall lesions at both field strengths • Seven-tesla MRI has the highest potential to identify total burden of intracranial atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands. a.a.harteveld-2@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Anita A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Harteveld
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anja G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: van der Kolk
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H Bart
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: van der Worp
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nikki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dieleman
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jeroen C W
authors.initials: JCW
authors.lastname: Siero
authors.affiliation: Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hugo J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kuijf
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Catharina J M
authors.initials: CJM
authors.lastname: Frijns
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Luijten
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jaco J M
authors.initials: JJM
authors.lastname: Zwanenburg
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hendrikse
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Cerebral arteries; Cerebrovascular disorders; Intracranial atherosclerosis; Magnetic resonance imaging; Neuroimaging