​Talk from Tomoko Arichi – King’s College, London

Short abstract:

MR Imaging at ultra-high field (7 Tesla and above) offers marked gains in signal-to-noise ratio, spatial resolution, and contrast which translate to improved sensitivity for pathology and anatomy. These benefits are particularly relevant when imaging the brain across the newborn period, at a time when both its structure and function are rapidly developing and thus are particularly sensitive to injury. However, experience of imaging neonates at 7T has been extremely limited due to the associated regulatory, safety, and practical challenges. Over the last 3 years, we have established a program for safely acquiring high resolution and contrast brain images from neonates on a 7T system at King’s College London. This has included a comprehensive safety assessment, the establishment of clinical procedures, and systematic optimization of image acquisition and processing pipelines. To date we have imaged over 50 infants, with the smallest being a preterm infant studied at 34+3 postmenstrual weeks and weighing just 1.5kg. The initial data not only demonstrates the safety and feasibility of imaging this fragile population at ultra-high-field, but also highlights how the clear gains in SNR and resolution can provide new insights about the development of the brain’s structure and function during this critical phase of early life.
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