HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Barth, M. M. Articles by Rofsky, N. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Barth, M. M. Articles by Rofsky, N. M. Related Collections Magnetic Resonance Imaging Physics and Basic Science Related Articles

Body MR Imaging at 3.0 T: Understanding the Opportunities and Challenges¹

¹ From the Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215. Presented as an education exhibit at the 2005 RSNA Annual Meeting. Received December 18, 2006; revision requested January 31, 2007; revision received March 14 and accepted March 23. N.M.R. has received research support from GE Healthcare and has served on the advisory board for Schering (Berlex) and as a consultant with CAD Sciences and EPIX Pharmaceuticals; all remaining authors have no financial relationships to disclose. Address correspondence to M.M.B. (e-mail: mbarth{at}bidmc.harvard.edu).

The development of high-field-strength magnetic resonance (MR) imaging systems has been driven in part by expected improvements in signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, spatial-temporal resolution trade-off, and spectral resolution. However, the transition from 1.5- to 3.0-T MR imaging is not straightforward. Compared with body imaging at lower field strength, body imaging at 3.0 T results in altered relaxation times, augmented and new artifacts, changes in chemical shift effects, and a dramatic increase in power deposition, all of which must be accounted for when developing imaging protocols. Inhomogeneities in the static magnetic field and the radiofrequency field at 3.0 T necessitate alterations in the design of coils and other hardware and new approaches to pulse sequence design. Techniques to reduce total body heating are demanded by the physics governing the specific absorption rate. Furthermore, the siting and maintenance of 3.0-T MR imaging systems are complicated by additional safety hazards unique to high-field-strength magnets. These aspects of 3.0-T body imaging represent current challenges and opportunities for radiology practice.

© RSNA, 2007

Related Articles

Abdominal MR Imaging at 3.0 T

Fatih M. Akisik, Kumaresan Sandrasegaran, Alex M. Aisen, Chen Lin, and Chandana Lall
RadioGraphics 2007 27: 1433-1444. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J.-Y. Choi, M.-J. Kim, Y. E. Chung, J. Y. Kim, A. C Jones, J. de Becker, and M. van Cauteren Abdominal Applications of 3.0-T MR Imaging: Comparative Review versus a 1.5-T System RadioGraphics, July 1, 2008; 28(4): e30 - e30. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. I. Sher Invited Commentary RadioGraphics, September 1, 2007; 27(5): 1462 - 1464. [Full Text] [PDF]