High Resolution Cochlear Imaging with Dual Gradients

Amy de la Garza¹, K Craig Goodrich¹, Seong-Eun Kim¹, Sung Man Moon¹, Dennis L. Parker¹

High resolution MRI capable of resolving cochlear infrastructure has been performed in small bore MRI scanners which have increased field strength and higher gradient performance. We hypothesize that improved images of the cochlear infrastructure may also be obtained on high field human MRI scanners which have increased gradient performance. A head and neck insert gradient has been developed for simultaneous use with the whole body gradients of a 3T MRI scanner. The use of dual gradients will allow double or triple resolution without increasing repetition time or bandwidth. This should decrease artifact and noise, allowing for improved cochlear imaging.