Functional mapping of sensorimotor activation in the human thalamus at 9.4 Tesla.

Although the thalamus is perceived as a passive relay station for almost all sensory signals, the function of individual thalamic nuclei remains unresolved. In the present study, we aimed to identify the sensorimotor nuclei of the thalamus in humans using task-based fMRI at a field strength of 9.4T by assessing the individual subject-specific sensorimotor BOLD response during a combined active motor (finger-tapping) and passive sensory (tactile-finger) stimulation. We demonstrate that both tasks increase BOLD signal response in the lateral nuclei group (VPL, VA, VLa, and VLp), and in the pulvinar nuclei group (PuA, PuM, and PuL). Finger-tapping stimuli evokes a stronger BOLD response compared to the tactile stimuli, and additionally engages the intralaminar nuclei group (CM and Pf). In addition, our results demonstrate reproducible thalamic nuclei activation during motor and tactile stimuli. This work provides important insight into understanding the function of individual thalamic nuclei in processing various input signals and corroborates the benefits of using ultra-high-field MR scanners for functional imaging of fine-scale deeply located brain structures.

Prediction of motion induced magnetic fields for human brain MRI at 3 T.

OBJECTIVE: Maps of B0 field inhomogeneities are often used to improve MRI image quality, even in a retrospective fashion. These field inhomogeneities depend on the exact head position within the static field but acquiring field maps (FM) at every position is time consuming. Here we propose a forward simulation strategy to obtain B0 predictions at different head-positions. METHODS: FM were predicted by combining (1) a multi-class tissue model for estimation of tissue-induced fields, (2) a linear k-space model for capturing gradient imperfections, (3) a dipole estimation for quantifying lower-body perturbing fields (4) and a position-dependent tissue mask to model FM alterations caused by large motion effects. The performance of the combined simulation strategy was compared with an approach based on a rigid body transformation of the FM measured in the reference position to the new position. RESULTS: The transformed FM provided inconsistent results for large head movements (> 5° rotation, approximately), while the simulation strategy had a superior prediction accuracy for all positions. The simulated FM was used to optimize B0 shims with up to 22.2% improvement with respect to the transformed FM approach. CONCLUSION: The proposed simulation strategy is able to predict movement-induced B0 field inhomogeneities yielding more precise estimates of the ground truth field homogeneity than the transformed FM.

Optimized ultrahigh field parallel transmission workflow using rapid presaturated TurboFLASH transmit field mapping with a three-dimensional centric single-shot readout.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usage of three-dimensional (3D) presaturated TurboFLASH (satTFL) for B 1 + $$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ and B 0 $$ {\mathrm{B}}_0 $$ mapping on single channel and parallel transmission (pTx) systems. METHODS: B 1 + $$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ maps recorded with 3D satTFL were compared to maps from three other 3D B 1 + $$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ mapping sequences in an agar phantom. Furthermore, individual-channel B 1 + $$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ maps of 18 human subjects were recorded with 3D satTFL using B 1 + $$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ interferometry. A neural network was trained for masking of the maps. RESULTS: Out of the sequences compared satTFL was the only one with a mapping range exceeding well over 90°. In regions with lower flip angles there was high correspondence between satTFL and AFI. DREAM and double angle method also showed high qualitative similarity, however the magnitude differed from the other two measurements. The individual-channel B 1 + $$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ maps were successfully used for pTx pulse calculation in a separate study. CONCLUSION: 3D satTFL can record high-quality B 1 + $$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ maps with a high dynamic range in a short time. Correspondence with AFI maps is high, while measurement duration is reduced drastically.

Accelerated MRI at 9.4 T with electronically modulated time-varying receive sensitivities.

PURPOSE: To investigate how electronically modulated time-varying receive sensitivities can improve parallel imaging reconstruction at ultra-high field. METHODS: Receive sensitivity modulation was achieved by introducing PIN diodes in the receive loops, which allow rapid switching of capacitances in both arms of each loop coil and by that alter B1- profiles, resulting in two distinct receive sensitivity configurations. A prototype 8-channel reconfigurable receive coil for human head imaging at 9.4T was built, and MR measurements were performed in both phantom and human subject. A modified SENSE reconstruction for time-varying sensitivities was formulated, and g-factor calculations were performed to investigate how modulation of receive sensitivity profiles during image encoding can improve parallel imaging reconstruction. The optimized modulation pattern was realized experimentally, and reconstructions with the time-varying sensitivities were compared with conventional static SENSE reconstructions. RESULTS: The g-factor calculations showed that fast modulation of receive sensitivities in the order of the ADC dwell time during k-space acquisition can improve parallel imaging performance, as this effectively makes spatial information of both configurations simultaneously available for image encoding. This was confirmed by in vivo measurements, for which lower reconstruction errors (SSIM = 0.81 for acceleration R = 4) and g-factors (max g = 2.4; R = 4) were observed for the case of rapidly switched sensitivities compared to conventional reconstruction with static sensitivities (SSIM = 0.74 and max g = 3.2; R = 4). As the method relies on the short RF wavelength at ultra-high field, it does not yield significant benefits at 3T and below. CONCLUSIONS: Time-varying receive sensitivities can be achieved by inserting PIN diodes in the receive loop coils, which allow modulation of B1- patterns. This offers an additional degree of freedom for image encoding, with the potential for improved parallel imaging performance at ultra-high field.

Bent folded-end dipole head array for ultrahigh-field MRI turns "dielectric resonance" from an enemy to a friend.

PURPOSE: To provide transmit whole-brain coverage at 9.4 T using an array with only eight elements and improve the specific absorption rate (SAR) performance, a novel dipole array was developed, constructed, and tested. METHODS: The array consists of eight optimized bent folded-end dipole antennas circumscribing a head. Due to the asymmetrical shape of the dipoles (bending and folding) and the presence of an RF shield near the folded portion, the array simultaneously excites two modes: a circular polarized mode of the array itself, and the TE mode ("dielectric resonance") of the human head. Mode mixing can be controlled by changing the length of the folded portion. Due to this mixing, the new dipole array improves longitudinal coverage as compared with unfolded dipoles. By optimizing the length of the folded portion, we can also minimize the peak local SAR (pSAR) value and decouple adjacent dipole elements. RESULTS: The new array improves the SEE (< B1+ >/√pSAR) value by about 50%, as compared with the unfolded bent dipole array. It also provides better whole-brain coverage compared with common single-row eight-element dipole arrays, or even to a more complex double-row 16-element surface loop array. CONCLUSION: In general, we demonstrate that rather than compensating for the constructive interference effect using additional hardware, we can use the "dielectric resonance" to improve coverage, transmit field homogeneity, and SAR efficiency. Overall, this design approach not only improves the transmit performance in terms of the coverage and SAR, but substantially simplifies the common surface loop array design, making it more robust, and therefore safer.

Multi-parametric artificial neural network fitting of phase-cycled balanced steady-state free precession data.

PURPOSE: Standard relaxation time quantification using phase-cycled balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP), eg, motion-insensitive rapid configuration relaxometry (MIRACLE), is subject to a considerable underestimation of tissue T1 and T2 due to asymmetric intra-voxel frequency distributions. In this work, an artificial neural network (ANN) fitting approach is proposed to simultaneously extract accurate reference relaxation times (T1 , T2 ) and robust field map estimates ( B1+ , ΔB0 ) from the bSSFP profile. METHODS: Whole-brain bSSFP data acquired at 3T were used for the training of a feedforward ANN with N = 12, 6, and 4 phase-cycles. The magnitude and phase of the Fourier transformed complex bSSFP frequency response served as input and the multi-parametric reference set [T1 , T2 , B1+ , ∆B0 ] as target. The ANN predicted relaxation times were validated against the target and MIRACLE. RESULTS: The ANN prediction of T1 and T2 for trained and untrained data agreed well with the reference, even for only four acquired phase-cycles. In contrast, relaxometry based on 4-point MIRACLE was prone to severe off-resonance-related artifacts. ANN predicted B1+ and ∆B0 maps showed the expected spatial inhomogeneity patterns in high agreement with the reference measurements for 12-point, 6-point, and 4-point bSSFP phase-cycling schemes. CONCLUSION: ANNs show promise to provide accurate brain tissue T1 and T2 values as well as reliable field map estimates. Moreover, the bSSFP acquisition can be accelerated by reducing the number of phase-cycles while still delivering robust T1 , T2 , B1+ , and ∆B0 estimates.

Eye-selective fMRI activity in human primary visual cortex: Comparison between 3 ​T and 9.4 ​T, and effects across cortical depth.

The primary visual cortex of humans contains patches of neurons responding preferentially to stimulation of one eye (the ocular dominance columns). Multiple previous studies attempted to detect their activity using fMRI. The majority of these fMRI studies used magnetic field strengths of 4 â€‹T and higher. However, there have been reports of reliable eye-selective activations at 3 â€‹T as well. In this study we investigated the possibility of detecting eye-selective V1 activity using high-resolution GE-EPI fMRI at 3 â€‹T and sub-millimeter resolution fMRI at ultrahigh 9.4 â€‹T magnetic field strengths with acquisition parameters optimized for each field strength. High-resolution fMRI at 9.4 â€‹T also allowed us to examine the eye-selectivity responses across the cortical depth, which are expected to be strongest in the middle layers. We observed a substantial increase in the percentage of eye-selective voxels, as well as a doubling in run-to-run consistency of eye preference at ultrahigh field compared to 3 â€‹T. We also found that across cortical depth, eye selectivity increased towards the superficial layers, and that signal contrast increased while noise remained nearly constant towards the surface. The depth-resolved results are consistent with a distortion of spatial specificity of the GE-EPI signal by ascending venules and large draining veins on the cortical surface. The effects of larger vessels cause increasing signal amplitude, but also displacement of the maximum BOLD signal relative to neural activity. In summary, our results show that increase in spatial resolution, reduced partial volume effects, and improved sensitivity at 9.4 â€‹T allow for better detection of eye-selective signals related to ocular dominance columns. However, although ultrahigh field yields higher sensitivity to the ocular dominance signal, GE-EPI still suffers from specificity issues, with a prominent signal contribution at shallow depths from larger cortical vessels.

Impact of prospective motion correction, distortion correction methods and large vein bias on the spatial accuracy of cortical laminar fMRI at 9.4 Tesla.

Functional imaging with sub-millimeter spatial resolution is a basic requirement for assessing functional MRI (fMRI) responses across different cortical depths and is used extensively in the emerging field of laminar fMRI. Such studies seek to investigate the detailed functional organization of the brain and may develop to a new powerful tool for human neuroscience. However, several studies have shown that measurement of laminar fMRI responses can be biased by the image acquisition and data processing strategies. In this work, measurements with three different gradient-echo EPI BOLD fMRI protocols with a voxel size down to 650 â€‹µm isotropic were performed at 9.4 â€‹T. We estimated how prospective motion correction can help to improve spatial accuracy by reducing the number of spatial resampling steps in postprocessing. In addition, we demonstrate key requirements for accurate geometric distortion correction to ensure that distortion correction maps are properly aligned to the functional data and that strong variations of distortions near large veins can lead to signal overlays which cannot be corrected for during postprocessing. Furthermore, this study illustrates the spatial extent of bias induced by pial and other larger veins in laminar BOLD experiments. Since these issues under investigation affect studies performed with more conventional spatial resolutions, the methods applied in this work may also help to improve the understanding of the BOLD signal more broadly.

Dynamic B0 shimming of the motor cortex and cerebellum with a multicoil shim setup for BOLD fMRI at 9.4T.

PURPOSE: We assessed how improved static magnetic field (B0 ) homogeneity with a dynamic multicoil shimming can influence the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) contrast to noise when echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence is used for a motor task functional MRI study. We showed that a multicoil shim setup can be a proper choice for dynamic shimming of 2 spatially distant areas with different inhomogeneity distributions. METHODS: A 16-channel multicoil shim setup is used to provide improved B0 homogeneity by dynamic slice-wise shimming. The performance of dynamic B0 shimming was investigated in 2 distinct brain regions, the motor cortex and the cerebellum, in the same experiment during a finger-tapping task. Temporal SNR (tSNR), geometric distortion of the EPIs, and results of an analysis with a general linear model before and after shimming with the multicoil were compared. RESULTS: Reduced B0 deviation by 30% and 52% in the cerebellum and motor cortex, respectively, resulted in higher tSNR and a reduction of distortions in the EPI. Statistical analysis applied to the EPIs showed higher t values and increased number of voxels above significance threshold when shimming with the multicoil setup. CONCLUSIONS: Improved B0 homogeneity leads to higher tSNR and enhances the detection of BOLD signal.

Brainglance: Visualizing Group Level MRI Data at One Glance.

The vast majority of studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are analyzed on the group level. Standard group-level analyses, however, come with severe drawbacks: First, they assume functional homogeneity within the group, building on the idea that we use our brains in similar ways. Second, group-level analyses require spatial warping and substantial smoothing to accommodate for anatomical variability across subjects. Such procedures massively distort the underlying fMRI data, which hampers the spatial specificity. Taken together, group statistics capture the effective overlap, rendering the modeling of individual deviations impossible - a major source of false positivity and negativity. The alternative analysis approach is to leave the data in the native subject space, but this makes comparison across individuals difficult. Here, we propose a new framework for visualizing group-level information, better preserving the information of individual subjects. Our proposal is to limit the use of invasive data procedures such as spatial smoothing and warping and rather extract regional information from the individuals. This information is then visualized for all subjects and brain areas at one glance - hence we term the method brainglance. Additionally, our method incorporates a means for clustering individuals to further identify common traits. We showcase our method on two publicly available data sets and discuss our findings.

Spread-spectrum magnetic resonance imaging.

PURPOSE: A novel method for the acceleration of MRI acquisition is proposed that relies on the local modulation of magnetic fields. These local modulations provide additional spatial information for image reconstruction that is used to accelerate image acquisition. METHODS: In experiments and simulations, eight local coils connected to current amplifiers were used for rapid local magnetic field variation. Acquired and simulated data were reconstructed to quantify reconstruction errors as a function of the acceleration factor and applied modulation frequency and strength. RESULTS: Experimental results demonstrate a possible acceleration factor of 2 to 4. Simulations demonstrate the challenges and limits of this method in terms of required magnetic field modulation strengths and frequencies. A normalized mean squared error of below 10% can be achieved for acceleration factors of up to 8 using modulation field strengths comparable to the readout gradient strength at modulation frequencies in the range of 5 to 20 kHz. CONCLUSION: Spread-spectrum MRI represents a new approach to accelerate image acquisition, and it can be independently combined with traditional parallel imaging techniques based on local receive coil sensitivities.

Comparison of prospective head motion correction with NMR field probes and an optical tracking system.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare prospective head motion correction and motion tracking abilities of two tracking systems: Active NMR field probes and a Moiré phase tracking camera system using an optical marker. METHODS: Both tracking systems were used simultaneously on human subjects. The prospective head motion correction was compared in an MP2RAGE and a gradient echo sequence. In addition, the motion tracking trajectories for three subjects were compared against each other and their correlation and deviations were analyzed. RESULTS: With both tracking systems motion artifacts were visibly reduced. The precision of the field probe system was on the order of 50 µm for translations and 0.03° for rotations while the camera's was approximately 5 µm and 0.007°. The comparison of the measured trajectories showed close correlation and an average absolute deviation below 500 µm and 0.5°. CONCLUSION: This study presents the first in vivo comparison between NMR field probes and Moiré phase tracking. For the gradient echo images, the field probes had a similar motion correction performance as the optical tracking system. For the MP2RAGE measurement, however, the camera yielded better results. Still, both tracking systems substantially decreased image artifacts in the presence of subject motion. Thus, the motion tracking modality should be chosen according to the specific requirements of the experiment while considering the desired image resolution, refresh rate, and head coil constraints.

Double-row 18-loop transceive-32-loop receive tight-fit array provides for whole-brain coverage, high transmit performance, and SNR improvement near the brain center at 9.4T.

PURPOSE: To improve the transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) performance of a human head array and provide whole-brain coverage at 9.4T, a novel 32-element array design was developed, constructed, and tested. METHODS: The array consists of 18 transceiver (TxRx) surface loops and 14 Rx-only vertical loops all placed in a single layer. The new design combines benefits of both TxRx and transmit-only-receive-only (ToRo) designs. The general idea of the design is that the total number of array elements (both TxRx and Rx) should not exceed the number of required Rx elements. First, the necessary number of TxRx loops is placed around the object tightly to optimize the Tx performance. The rest of the elements are loops, which are used only for reception. We also compared the performance of the new array with that of a state-of-the-art ToRo array consisting of 16 Tx-only loops and 31 Rx-only loops. RESULTS: The new array provides whole-brain coverage, ~1.5 times greater Tx efficiency and 1.3 times higher SNR near the brain center as compared to the ToRo array, while the latter delivers higher (up to 1.5 times) peripheral SNR. CONCLUSION: In general, the new approach of constructing a single-layer array consisting of both TxRx- and Rx-only elements simplifies the array construction by minimizing the total number of elements and makes the entire design more robust and, therefore, safe. Overall, our work provides a recipe for a Tx- and Rx-efficient head array coil suitable for parallel transmission and reception as well as whole-brain imaging at UHF.

In-vivo quantitative structural imaging of the human midbrain and the superior colliculus at 9.4T.

We explored anatomical details of the superior colliculus (SC) by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 9.4T. The high signal-to-noise ratio allowed the acquisition of high resolution, multi-modal images with voxel sizes ranging between 176 × 132 × 600 µm and (800)3µm. Quantitative mapping of the longitudinal relaxation rate R1, the effective transverse relaxation rate R2*, and the magnetic susceptibility QSM was performed in 14 healthy volunteers. The images were analyzed in native space as well as after normalization to a common brain space (MNI). The coefficient-of-variation (CoV) across subjects was evaluated in prominent regions of the midbrain, reaching the best reproducibility (CoV of 5%) in the R2* maps of the SC in MNI space, while the CoV in the QSM maps remained high regardless of brain-space. To investigate whether more complex neurobiological architectural features could be detected, depth profiles through the SC layers towards the red nucleus (RN) were evaluated at different levels of the SC along the rostro-caudal axis. This analysis revealed alterations of the quantitative MRI parameters concordant with previous post mortem histology studies of the cyto- and myeloarchitecture of the SC. In general, the R1 maps were hyperintense in areas characterized by the presence of abundant myelinated fibers, and likely enabled detection of the deep white layer VII of the SC adjacent to the periaqueductal gray. While R1 maps failed to reveal finer details, possibly due to the relatively coarse spatial sampling used for this modality, these could be recovered in R2* maps and in QSM. In the central part of the SC along its rostro-caudal axis, increased R2* values and decreased susceptibility values were observed 2 mm below the SC surface, likely reflecting the myelinated fibers in the superficial optic layer (layer III). Towards the deeper layers, a second increase in R2* was paralleled by a paramagnetic shift in QSM suggesting the presence of an iron-rich layer about 3 mm below the surface of the SC, attributed to the intermediate gray layer (IV) composed of multipolar neurons. These results dovetail observations in histological specimens and animal studies and demonstrate that high-resolution multi-modal MRI at 9.4T can reveal several microstructural features of the SC in vivo.

Dynamic B0 shimming of the human brain at 9.4 T with a 16-channel multi-coil shim setup.

PURPOSE: A 16-channel multi-coil shimming setup was developed to mitigate severe B0 field perturbations at ultrahigh field and improve data quality for human brain imaging and spectroscopy. METHODS: The shimming setup consisted of 16 circular B0 coils that were positioned symmetrically on a cylinder with a diameter of 370 mm. The latter was large enough to house a shielded 18/32-channel RF transceiver array. The shim performance was assessed via simulations and phantom as well as in vivo measurements at 9.4 T. The global and dynamic shimming performance of the multi-coil setup was compared with the built-in scanner shim system for EPI and single voxel spectroscopy. RESULTS: The presence of the multi-coil shim did not influence the performance of the RF coil. The performance of the proposed setup was similar to a full third-order spherical harmonic shim system in the case of global static and dynamic slice-wise shimming. Dynamic slice-wise shimming with the multi-coil setup outperformed global static shimming with the scanner's second-order spherical-harmonic shim. The multi-coil setup allowed mitigating geometric distortions for EPI. The combination of the multi-coil shim setup with the zeroth and first-order shim of the scanner further reduced the standard deviation of the B0 field in the brain by 12% compared with the case in which multi-coil was used exclusively. CONCLUSION: The combination of a multi-coil setup and the linear shim channels of the scanner provides a straightforward solution for implementing dynamic slice-wise shimming without requiring an additional pre-emphasis setup.

Fast and efficient free induction decay MR spectroscopic imaging of the human brain at 9.4 Tesla.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this work was to develop a fast and efficient MRSI-FID acquisition scheme and test its performance in vivo. The aim was to find a trade-off between the minimal total acquisition time and signal-to-noise ratio of the acquired spectra. METHODS: Measurements were performed on a 9.4 Tesla system. Sequence optimization included redesign of water suppression, optimization of the sequence gradients, and improvement of the sampling efficiency by minimizing the read-out time. This resulted in an acquisition time of 2:47 and 22:13 minutes for 2D (TR = 57 ms; 3-mm in-plane resolution) and 3D MRSI (TR = 57 ms; 16 slices; 3-mm isotropic resolution), respectively. RESULTS: Despite strong T1 weighting and first-order phase problems, it was possible to obtain spectra of an acceptable quality. The average line width calculated for the tCr peak across the entire field of view was 26.9 ± 9.6 Hz for 2D and 30.0 ± 11.3 Hz for 3D MRSI. In 3D measurements, the percent fraction of voxels fitted with Cramer-Rao lower bounds below 10% was 53.3 ± 4.1%, 63.4 ± 8.4%, and 81.0 ± 2.9% for Glu, tCr, and tNAA, respectively. CONCLUSION: Considering the typically long duration of high-resolution MRSI, the proposed technique may be of interest for clinical applications and/or studies that focus on following the biochemistry of dynamic processes. Magn Reson Med 78:1281-1295, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Depth-dependence of visual signals in the human superior colliculus at 9.4 T.

The superior colliculus (SC) is a layered structure located in the midbrain. We exploited the improved spatial resolution and BOLD signal strength available at 9.4 T to investigate the depth profile of visual BOLD responses in the human SC based on distortion-corrected EPI data with a 1 mm isotropic resolution. We used high resolution (350 µm in-plane) anatomical images to determine regions-of-interest of the SC and applied a semi-automated method to segment it into superficial, intermediate, and deep zones. A greater than linear increase in sensitivity of the functional signal at 9.4 T allowed us to detect a statistically significant depth pattern in a group analysis with a 20 min stimulation paradigm. Descriptive data showed consistent depth profiles also in single individuals. The highest signals were localized to the superficial layers of the right and left SC during contralateral stimulation, which was in good agreement with its functional architecture known from non-human primates. This study thus demonstrates the potential of 9.4 T MRI for functional neuroimaging even in deeply located, particularly challenging brain structures such as the SC. Hum Brain Mapp 38:574-587, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Triple-quantum-filtered sodium imaging at 9.4 Tesla.

PURPOSE: Efficient acquisition of triple-quantum-filtered (TQF) sodium images at ultra-high field (UHF) strength. METHODS: A three-pulse preparation and a stack of double-spirals were used for the acquisition of TQF images at 9.4 Tesla. The flip angles of the TQ preparation were smoothly reduced toward the edge of k-space along the partition-encoding direction. In doing so, the specific absorption rate could be reduced while preserving the maximal signal intensity for the partitions most relevant for image contrast in the center of k-space. Simulations, phantom and in vivo measurements were used to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed method. RESULTS: A higher sensitivity (∼ 20%) was achieved compared to the standard acquisition without flip angle apodization. Signals from free sodium ions were successfully suppressed irrespective of the amount of apodization used. B0 corrected TQF images with a nominal resolution of 5 × 5 × 5 mm(3) and an acceptable signal-to-noise ratio could be acquired in vivo within 21 min. CONCLUSION: Conventional TQF in combination with flip angle apodization permits to exploit more efficiently the increased sensitivity available at 9.4T.

Quantitative and functional pulsed arterial spin labeling in the human brain at 9.4 T.

PURPOSE: The feasibility of multislice pulsed arterial spin labeling (PASL) of the human brain at 9.4 T was investigated. To demonstrate the potential of arterial spin labeling (ASL) at this field strength, quantitative, functional, and high-resolution (1.05 × 1.05 × 2 mm(3)) ASL experiments were performed. METHODS: PASL was implemented using a numerically optimized adiabatic inversion pulse and presaturation scheme. Quantitative measurements were performed at 3 T and 9.4 T and evaluated on a voxel-by-voxel basis. In a functional experiment, activation maps obtained with a conventional blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD)-weighted sequence were compared with a functional ASL (fASL) measurement. RESULTS: Quantitative measurements revealed a 23% lower perfusion in gray matter and 17% lower perfusion in white matter at 9.4 T compared with 3 T. Furthermore almost identical transit delays and bolus durations were found at both field strengths whereas the calculated voxel volume corrected signal-to-noise ratio was 1.9 times higher at 9.4 T. This result was confirmed by the high-resolution experiment. The functional experiment yielded comparable activation maps for the fASL and BOLD measurements. CONCLUSION: Although PASL at ultrahigh field strengths is limited by high specific absorption rate, functional and quantitative perfusion-weighted images showing a high degree of detail can be obtained.

Efficient generation of T2*-weighted contrast by interslice echo-shifting for human functional and anatomical imaging at 9.4 Tesla.

PURPOSE: Standard gradient-echo sequences are often prohibitively slow for T2*-weighted imaging as long echo times prolong the repetition time of the sequence. Echo-shifting offers a way out of this dilemma by allowing an echo time that exceeds the repetition time. The purpose of this work is to present a gradient-echo sequence that is optimized for multislice T2*-weighted imaging applications by combining echo-shifting with an interleaved slice excitation order. THEORY AND METHODS: This combined approach offers two major advantages: First, it combines the advantages of both concepts, that is, echo time and pulse repetition time can be significantly increased without affecting scan time. Second, there is no echo-shifting related signal loss associated with this concept as only a single radiofrequency pulse is applied per pulse repetition time and slice. RESULTS: A 9.4 Tesla high-resolution T2*-weighted anatomical brain scan of the proposed sequence is compared to a standard gradient-echo. Furthermore, results from 9.4 Tesla blood oxygen level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments with an in-plane resolution of 0.8 × 0.8 mm(2) are presented. CONCLUSION: The proposed sequence allows for efficient generation of T2*-weighted contrast by combining echo-shifting with an interleaved slice excitation order.