Fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI at 7.0 Tesla: comparison with 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla

PURPOSE: To assess fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at three field strengths, regarding signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast and signal homogeneity, in order to determine the potential gain and current challenges of FLAIR at ultra-high field strength (7 T). METHODS: FLAIR images of five healthy volunteers (age 24 ± 4 years, 4 male) were acquired at 1.5 T, 3 T and 7 T. Image homogeneity and visibility of normal brain structures were evaluated. SNR of grey matter (GM), white matter (WM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were measured in regions not affected by transmit field heterogeneity. RESULTS: The SNR (mean ± SD) at 7 T (GM 168 ± 15, WM 125 ± 11) increased slightly more than proportionally, compared with at 1.5 T (GM 30 ± 3, WM 22 ± 2) and 3 T (GM 62 ± 7, WM 44 ± 4). Relative contrast between GM and WM at 7 T (1.35 ± 0.07) was slightly less than at 3 T (1.42 ± 0.14) or 1.5 T (1.37 ± 0.07). Several major fibre bundles became visible at 7 T. One incidentally observed white matter lesion was well visible at all field strengths. CONCLUSION: Image homogeneity remains challenging and should be improved by future technical developments. FLAIR imaging at 7 T yields a high SNR,with better contrast for WM substructures and the iron-bearing basal ganglia, and has potential for good conspicuity of WM lesions.