Andreas Berg1, Andreas Potthast2,
Piotr Starewicz3
1MR-Center of Excellence, Center for
Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Wien, Vienna, Austria; 2Healthcare
Sector, Imaging & IT Division, Magnetic Resonance, Siemens AG, Erlangen,
Germany; 3Resonance Research, Inc., Billerica, MA, United States
MR-microscopy
can be looked upon as key technological tool in MRI-based molecular imaging
in biological models and human pathology samples. Is it possible to achieve a
pixel-size below 100 m on high-field human MR-scanners (B≥7T) within
21min at acceptable Signal-to-Noise-Ratio? We present microscopic images at voxel-size
of 25x51x200 m3 and document a spatial resolution higher than
34m using specifically designed grid-phantoms. The data, according to our
knowledge, represents the highest documented spatial resolution obtained yet
on such a scanner. The technical equipment based on a high gradient-strength
insert coil and sensitive detectors is shortly explained.