Abstract #2169

Yarnykh V, Terashima M, Hayes C, Shimakawa A, Takaya N, Nguyen P, Brittain J, McConnell M, Yuan C

Black-blood imaging of carotid arteries with three contrast weightings (T1, T2, and proton density) has been compared between 1.5 and 3 Tesla magnetic fields. MRI at 3 T significantly improves signal-to-noise ratio and black-blood contrast in high-resolution imaging of the carotid artery wall and atherosclerotic plaque. Advantages of 3 T scanners can be used for an up to two-fold reduction of scan time or a 1.5-fold increase of spatial resolution without scan time and SNR penalties. Quantitative morphological measurements are compatible between 1.5 T and 3 T scanners suggesting that both field strengths can be interchangeably used in progression and treatment studies.