7T Magnet

7T Magnet

In December 2013 the SFVAMC joined a small, elite group of research centers that perform human imaging research with an ultra-high field MRI scanner as the 7 Tesla MRI scanner arrived.

In general, MRI scanners that operate at higher magnetic field provide improved signal strength, which can be used to improve image quality or image resolution. At present, clinical MRI systems operate at field strengths up to 3 Tesla, where Tesla is a measure of the strength of the magnetic field. The SFVA currently has two 3 T Siemens Skyra MRI scanners, one which is 100% dedicated for research investigations. Higher field MRI instruments, such as 7 Tesla MRI scanners, are available for research purposes.

The new 7T MRI instrument from Siemens Healthcare will be used at the SFVAMC by researchers at the Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIND), as well as by other collaborators at SFVAMC and UCSF. It will be used for a variety of research projects impacting veterans’ health, including Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease. We expect the 7T to be available for research use in spring 2014.