Ultrahigh field systems and applications at 7 T and beyond: progress, pitfalls, and potential

About 150 researchers around the world convened at the Chateau Lake Louise on February 20-23, 2011 to present and discuss the latest research in human and animal imaging and spectroscopy at field strengths of 7 T or above (termed ultrahigh field) at the third ISMRM-sponsored high field workshop. The clear overall message from the workshop presentations and discussion is that ultrahigh field imaging is gaining momentum with regard to new clinically relevant findings, anatomic and functional MRI results, susceptibility contrast advancements, solutions to high field-related image quality challenges, and to generally push the limits of resolution and speed of high field imaging. This meeting report is organized in a manner reflecting the meeting organization itself, covering the seven sessions that were approximately titled: (1) high field overview from head to body to spectroscopy; (2) susceptibility imaging; (3) proffered session on susceptibility, ultrafast imaging, unique contrast at 7 T, and angiography; (4) neuroscience applications; (5) proffered session on coils, shimming, parallel imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, and MRI-PET fusion; (6) high field animal imaging and spectroscopy, as well as a vendor overview, and (7) Cutting edge technology at 7 T.