High resolution neuroimaging at 4.1 T

In this article we report on acquisition of high-resolution 512 x 512 images at 4.1 T using an inversion recovery gradient-echo sequence and a volume head coil developed for high field applications, The T-1 values for cerebral white and grey matter were measured to be 834 and 1282 ms, respectively, The partial saturation inversion recovery sequence (T-ir 800 ms and TR 2500 ms) provided excellent contrast-to-noise for white to grey matter. Consequently, the images consistently visualized the thalamic nuclear groups, hippocampal fine structure, as well as small draining vessels of the white matter.