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Abstract #2964

T2* Mapping at 7 T

Kai Zhong1, Ralf Deichmann2, Weiqiang Dou1, Oliver Speck1

1Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Saxon-Anhalt, Germany; 2Brain Imaging Center, University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany


Previous studies at 7 T have related T2* maps to the iron deposition in brain tissue. However, the field inhomogeneity and susceptibility distortion at 7 T are significantly higher compared to lower field. This potentially distorts the true T2* values and could lead to false estimation of the tissue iron content. In this study, T2* correction based on the susceptibility gradients was applied to 7 T and can improve the resulting T2* maps. This method therefore should help to improve the accurate determination of T2* at 7 T for clinical studies. On the other hand, stronger dephasing is encountered, so thinner slices should be chosen than at lower fields to avoid systematic errors.