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Semin Musculoskelet Radiol 2010; 14(2): 269-278
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1253167
© Thieme Medical Publishers

Biochemical and Physiological MR Imaging of Skeletal Muscle at 7 Tesla and Above

Gregory Chang1 , Ligong Wang1 , Arturo Cárdenas-Blanco2 , 3 , 4 , Mark E. Schweitzer5 , Michael P. Recht1 , Ravinder R. Regatte1
  • 1Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
  • 2Department of Radiology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  • 3Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  • 4Department of Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  • 5Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Ottawa General Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Publication History

Publication Date:
18 May 2010 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Ultra-high field (UHF; ≥7 T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with its greater signal-to-noise ratio, offers the potential for increased spatial resolution, faster scanning, and, above all, improved biochemical and physiological imaging of skeletal muscle. The increased spectral resolution and greater sensitivity to low-gamma nuclei available at UHF should allow techniques such as 1H MR spectroscopy (MRS), 31P MRS, and 23Na MRI to be more easily implemented. Numerous technical challenges exist in the performance of UHF MRI, including changes in relaxation values, increased chemical shift and susceptibility artifact, radiofrequency (RF) coil design/B1 + field inhomogeneity, and greater RF energy deposition. Nevertheless, the possibility of improved functional and metabolic imaging at UHF will likely drive research efforts in the near future to overcome these challenges and allow studies of human skeletal muscle physiology and pathophysiology to be possible at ≥7 T.

KEYWORDS

Ultra high field - MRI - muscle - spectroscopy - ultra short echo time - T2 mapping - sodium

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Gregory ChangM.D. 

Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine

660 First Ave., New York, NY 10016

Email: gregory.chang@nyumc.org