Multi-site harmonization of 7  Tesla MRI neuroimaging protocols

Publication date: Available online 8 November 2019Source: NeuroImageAuthor(s): William T. Clarke, Olivier Mougin, Ian D. Driver, Catarina Rua, Andrew T. Morgan, Michael Asghar, Stuart Clare, Susan Francis, Richard G. Wise, Christopher T. Rodgers, Adrian Carpenter, Keith Muir, Richard BowtellAbstractIncreasing numbers of 7 T (7 T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners are in research and clinical use. 7 T MRI can increase the scanning speed, spatial resolution and contrast-to-noise-ratio of many neuroimaging protocols, but technical challenges in implementation have been addressed in a variety of ways across sites. In order to facilitate multi-centre studies and ensure consistency of findings across sites, it is desirable that 7 T MRI sites implement common high-quality neuroimaging protocols that can accommodate different scanner models and software versions.With the installation of several new 7 T MRI scanners in the United Kingdom, the UK7T Network was established with an aim to create a set of harmonized structural and functional neuroimaging sequences and protocols. The Network currently includes five sites, which use three different scanner platforms, provided by two different vendors.Here we describe the harmonization of functional and anatomical imaging protocols across the three different scanner models, detailing the necessary changes to pulse sequences and reconstruction methods. The harmonized sequences are fully described, along with implementation d...
Source: NeuroImage - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research