Medical University of ViennaMAGNETOM 7T Siemens International Reference Center

Founded in 2003, the MR Centre of Excellence (MRCE) acts today as a core research facility for the Medical University of Vienna. It combines ground breaking basic research and development of methods with a strong focus on applications in neuroscience, musculoskeletal research, oncology and metabolism. Their goal is to validate the potential of ultra-high field (UHF) MRI in clinical applications. Meaning help answer old questions. And new ones too.

A new field. A new frontier.

MRCE’s outcomes with MAGNETOM 7T¹ bring new insights into MRI clinical research. But why breaking the boundaries and exploring at higher field strengths? Are there information that can only be seen with UHF MRI? In the sections below, Prof. Trattnig, director of the institute, presents some impressive findings that are only possible at 7T, already pointing out to their potential clinical applications².

Neuroimaging

Ultra-high-resolution imaging of the hippocampus
In vivo visualization of the hippocampal sub-structures is now possible with MAGNETOM 7T. 0.2 mm in-plane resolution offers potential for clinical evaluation in patients suffering from temporal lobe epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.

Pre-surgical fMRI in oncology
Ultra-high resolution fMRI in the brain sensor motor area offers potential for more accuracy in the pre-surgical evaluation of tumor patients.

Susceptibility Weighted Imaging (SWI) in oncology
Ultra-high resolution venography helps differentiate between high and low grade benign and malignant tumors in the brain.

Phase contrast in Multiple Sclerosis
Standard FLAIR together with SWI at 7T may help in better understanding Multiple Sclerosis. Detecting iron accumulation and the vein density in plaques is now possible thanks to ultra-high resolution at 7T.

Spectroscopy at 0.09 mm resolution
Proton MRS at 7T can be used to provide not only metabolic information, but also anatomical information. Ultra-high resolution spectroscopy has potential for clinical applications such as in tumors, epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis and neurodegenerative diseases.

Orthopedics imaging

MSK morphology imaging
High resolution imaging offers potential for clinical applications in orthopedics where the details make a difference. Knee, ankle, hand and foot imaging of joints and cartilage help improving diagnostics, for example, in osteoporosis.

High-resolution cartilage imaging
High-resolution T2 mapping and non-contrast sodium imaging for the quantification of glycosaminoglycans offer potential used for the assessment of biochemical and biomechanical information of transplant cartilage.

Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST)
Similar sodium MR images, CEST imaging provides also glycosaminoglycans information, but with higher image resolution. First studies show potential for detecting early stages of osteoarthritis.

Body imaging

Kidney sodium imaging
Potential for new insights into the urinary concentration process done non-invasively. With 7T MRI it is now possible to differentiate between the cortex and medulla of the kidneys. First studies on quantifying acquired data with T2* mapping are already available.

Breast imaging
Breast studies are now possible due to new proton, sodium and phosphorous 7T dedicated breast coils. First results show potential for morphological imaging in patients with breast tumors.

“7T MRI is the formula one in MR and the champions’ league in MR imaging. Siemens plays a very important role in this field. In this sense, industry and academic high-end research partnerships are a win-win situation, and thanks to this close collaboration with Siemens, we have considerably increased outcomes in our research projects.”²

Prof. Dr. Siegfried Trattnig
Director of the MR Centre of Excellence, Vienna, Austria

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The product is still under development and not commercially available yet. Its future availability cannot be ensured. This research system is not cleared, approved or licensed in any jurisdiction for patient examinations. This research system is not labeled according to applicable medical device law and therefore may only be used for volunteer or patient examinations in the context of clinical studies according to applicable law.

The statements by Siemens Healthineers' customers described herein are based on results that were achieved in the customer's unique setting. Since there is no "typical" hospital and many variables exist (e.g., hospital size, case mix, level of IT adoption) there can be no guarantee that other customers will achieve the same results.