Abstract

Advanced musculoskeletal MRI at ultra-high field (7 T)

Author(s): Siegfried Trattnig, Klaus M Friedrich, Wolfgang Bogner and Goetz H Welsch

MRI at ultra-high field (7 T) offers high signal-to-noise ratio, which can be used beneficially in several different musculoskeletal applications. Spatial resolution in morphological imaging of small structures in joints such as cartilage, hip, wrist and foot can be significantly improved. The low sensitivity of multiparametric imaging for the visualization of cartilage ultra-structure can be enhanced and combined with high-resolution imaging. Sodium imaging suffering from low signal-to-noise ratio and low sensitivity benefits from the ultra-high field, thus sodium imaging that allows quantification of one important component of articular cartilage, proteogylcans (responsible for the biomechanical properties), is now attractive for clinical application. The better spectral resolution at 7 T makes 31phosphorus spectroscopy a promising tool for noninvasive evaluation of energy metabolism in healthy and diseased muscle.