High-field magnetic resonance imaging

This article explores the role of high-field (HF) MR imaging in medicine. It analyzes advantages of HF MR imaging in application to human subjects and how best they can be used to unravel the secrets of diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. Special emphasis is placed on morphologic imaging to highlight the role of soft tissue contrast, MR spectroscopy to showcase the ability of detecting biochemical information, and functional MR imaging as an emerging technology for assessing tissue function with the possibility of eventual introduction to the clinical arena. In this article, hardware issues, such as RF coils for HF systems with a static magnetic field of 3.0 T or higher are also discussed.