MR venography of the human brain using susceptibility weighted imaging at very high field strength

MAGMA. 2008 Mar;21(1-2):149-58. doi: 10.1007/s10334-007-0101-3. Epub 2008 Jan 11.

Abstract

Objective: We investigate the implications of high magnetic field strength on MR venography based on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) and estimate the optimum echo time to obtain maximum contrast between blood and brain tissue.

Materials and methods: We measured tissue contrast and T2* relaxation times at 7 T of gray matter, white matter, and venous blood in vivo.

Results: T2* relaxation times of gray matter, white matter, and venous blood in vivo yielded 32.9 +/- 2.3, 27.7 +/- 4.3, and 7.4 +/- 1.4 ms, respectively. Optimum TE was found to be 15 ms which is supported by theoretical considerations. Using this optimum TE, we acquired 3D high resolution datasets with a large volume coverage in a short measurement time that show very detailed microanatomical structures of the human brain such as intracortical veins and laminar cortical substructures.

Conclusions: By applying optimised vessel filters (vesselness filter and vessel enhancing diffusion) whole brain MR venograms can be obtained at 7 T with a significantly reduced measurement time compared to 3 T.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Brain / pathology*
  • Brain Mapping / methods*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Diagnostic Imaging / methods
  • Electromagnetic Fields
  • Equipment Design
  • Filtration
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Models, Statistical
  • Phlebography / instrumentation
  • Phlebography / methods*
  • Time Factors