Purpose
To demonstrate that high quality T₂-weighted (T2w) turbo spin-echo (TSE) imaging of the complete prostate can be achieved routinely and within safety limits at 7 T, using an external transceive body array coil only.
Methods
Nine healthy volunteers and 12 prostate cancer patients were scanned on a 7 T whole-body system. Preparation consisted of B₀ and radiofrequency shimming and localized flip angle calibration. T₁ and T₂ relaxation times were measured and used to define the T2w-TSE protocol. T2w imaging was performed using a TSE sequence (pulse repetition time/echo time 3000–3640/71 ms) with prolonged excitation and refocusing pulses to reduce specific absorption rate.
Results
High quality T2w TSE imaging was performed in less than 2 min in all subjects. Tumors of patients with gold-standard tumor localization (MR-guided biopsy or prostatectomy) were well visualized on 7 T imaging (n = 3). The number of consecutive slices achievable within a 10-g averaged specific absorption rate limit of 10 W/kg was ≥28 in all subjects, sufficient for full prostate coverage with 3-mm slices in at least one direction.
Conclusion
High quality T2w TSE prostate imaging can be performed routinely and within specific absorption rate limits at 7 T with an external transceive body array.
Objective:
To develop a transmit/receive radiofrequency (RF) array for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the carotid arteries at 7 T. The prototype is characterized in numerical simulations and bench measurements, and the feasibility of plaque imaging at 7 T is demonstrated in first in vivo images.
Materials and Methods:
The RF phased array coil consists of 8 surface loop coils. To allow imaging of both sides of the neck, the RF array is divided into 2 coil clusters, each with 4 overlapping loop elements. For safety validation, numerical computations of the RF field distribution and the corresponding specific absorption rate were performed on the basis of a heterogeneous human body model. To validate the coil model, maps of the transmit B1+ field were compared between simulation and measurement. In vivo images of a healthy volunteer and a patient (ulcerating plaque and a 50% stenosis of the right internal carotid artery) were acquired using a 3-dimensional FLASH sequence with a high isotropic spatial resolution of 0.54 mm as well as using pulse-triggered proton density (PD)/T2-weighted turbo spin echo sequences.
Results:
Measurements of the S-parameters yielded a reflection and isolation of the coil elements of better than −18 and −13 dB, respectively. Measurements of the g-factor indicated good image quality for parallel imaging acceleration factors up to 2.4. A similar distribution and a very good match of the absolute values were found between the measured and simulated B1+ transmit RF field for the validation of the coil model. In vivo images revealed good signal excitation of both sides of the neck and a high vessel-to-background image contrast for the noncontrast-enhanced 3-dimensional FLASH sequence. Imaging at 7 T could depict the extent of stenosis, and revealed the disruption and ulcer of the plaque.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates that 2 four-channel transmit/receive RF arrays for each side of the neck is a suitable concept for in vivo MRI of the carotid arteries at 7 Tesla. Further studies are needed to explore and exploit the full potential of 7 T high-field MRI for carotid atherosclerotic plaque imaging.