Ultra-high Field Research Articles

Sex differences in the human brain related to visual motion perception.

Previous studies have found that the temporal duration required for males to perceive visual motion direction is significantly shorter than that for females. However, the neural correlates of such shortened duration perception remain yet unclear. Given that motion perception is primarily associated with the neural activity of the middle temporal visual complex (MT+), we here test the novel hypothesis that the neural mechanism of these behavioral sex differences is mainly related to the MT+ region. We utilized ultra-high field (UHF) MRI to investigate sex differences in the MT+ brain region. A total of 95 subjects (48 females) participated in two separate studies. Cohort 1, consisting of 33 subjects (16 females), completed task-fMRI (drafting grating stimuli) experiment. Cohort 2, comprising 62 subjects (32 females), engaged in a psychophysical experiment measuring motion perception along different temporal thresholds as well as conducting structural and functional MRI scanning of MT+. Our findings show pronounced sex differences in major brain parameters within the left MT+ (but not the right MT+, i.e., laterality). In particular, males demonstrate (i) larger gray matter volume (GMV) and higher brain's spontaneous activity at the fastest infra-slow frequency band in the left MT+; and (ii) stronger functional connectivity between the left MT+ and the left centromedial amygdala (CM). Meanwhile, both female and male participants exhibited comparable correlations between motion perception ability and the multimodal imaging indexes of the MT+ region, i.e., larger GMV, higher brain's spontaneous activity, and faster motion discrimination. Our findings reveal sex differences of imaging indicators of structure and function in the MT+ region, which also relate to the temporal threshold of motion discrimination. Overall, these results show how behavioral sex differences in visual motion perception are generated, and advocate considering sex as a crucial biological variable in both human brain and behavioral research.

Design of calibration-free RF pulses for T -weighted single-slab 3D turbo-spin-echo sequences at 7T utilizing parallel transmission.

T -weighted turbo-spin-echo (TSE) sequences are a fundamental technique in brain imaging but suffer from field inhomogeneities at ultra-high fields. Several methods have been proposed to mitigate the problem, but were limited so far to nonselective three-dimensional (3D) measurements, making short acquisitions difficult to achieve when targeting very high resolution images, or needed additional calibration procedures, thus complicating their application. Slab-selective excitation pulses were designed for flexible placement utilizing the concept of k -spokes. Phase-coherent refocusing universal pulses were subsequently optimized with the Gradient Ascent Pulse Engineering algorithm and tested in vivo for improved signal homogeneity. Implemented within a 3D variable flip angle TSE sequence, these pulses led to a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improvement ranging from 10%to 30% compared to a two-dimensional (2D) T2w TSE sequence employing -shimmed pulses. field inhomogeneities could be mitigated and artifacts from deviations reduced. The concept of universal pulses was successfully applied. We present a pulse design method which provides a set of calibration-free universal pulses (UPs) for slab-selective excitation and phase-coherent refocusing in slab-selective TSE sequences.

Effects of 16.8-22.0 T high static magnetic fields on the development of zebrafish in early fertilization.

Despite some existing studies on the safety of high static magnetic fields (SMFs), the effects of ultra-high SMFs above 20.0 T for embryonic development in early pregnancy are absent. The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of 16.8-22.0 T SMF on the development of zebrafish embryos, which will provide important information for the future application of ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Two-hour exposure to homogenous (0 T/m) 22.0 T SMF, or 16.8 T SMFs with 123.25 T/m spatial gradient of opposite magnetic force directions was examined in the embryonic development of 200 zebrafish. Their body length, heart rate, spontaneous tail-wagging movement, hatching and survival rate, photomotor response, and visual motor response (VMR) were analyzed. Our results show that these ultra-high SMFs did not significantly affect the general development of zebrafish embryos, such as the body length or spontaneous tail-wagging movement. However, the hatching rate was reduced by the gradient SMFs (p < 0.05), but not the homogenous 22.0 T SMF. Moreover, although the zebrafish larva activities were differentially affected by these ultra-high SMFs (p < 0.05), the expression of several visual and neurodevelopmental genes (p < 0.05) was generally downregulated in the eyeball. Our findings suggest that exposure to ultra-high SMFs, especially the gradient SMFs, may have adverse effects on embryonic development, which should cause some attention to the future application of ultra-high field MRIs. As technology advances, it is conceivable that very strong magnetic fields may be adapted for use in medical imaging. Possible dangers associated with these higher Tesla fields need to be considered and evaluated prior to human use. Ultra-High static magnetic field may affect early embryonic development. High strength gradient static magnetic field exposure impacted zebrafish embryonic development. The application of very strong magnetic fields for MR technologies needs to be carefully evaluated.

Structural connectivity of thalamic subnuclei in major depressive disorder: An ultra-high resolution diffusion MRI study at 7-Tesla

BackgroundThe thalamus serves as a central relay station within the brain, and thalamic connectional anomalies are increasingly thought to be present in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the use of conventional MRI scanners and acquisition techniques has prevented a thorough examination of the thalamus and its subnuclear connectional profile. We combined ultra-high field diffusion MRI acquired at 7.0 Tesla to map the white matter connectivity of thalamic subnuclei. MethodsFifty-three MDD patients and 12 healthy controls (HCs) were involved in the final analysis. FreeSurfer was used to segment the thalamic subnuclei, and MRtrix was used to perform the preprocessing and tractography. Fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity, mean diffusivity, radial diffusivity, and streamline count of thalamic subnuclear tracts were measured as proxies of white matter microstructure. Bayesian multilevel model was used to assess group differences in white matter metrics for each thalamic subnuclear tract and the association between these white matter metrics and clinical features in MDD. ResultsEvidence was found for reduced whiter matter metrics of the tracts spanning from all thalamic subnuclei among MDD versus HC participants. Moreover, evidence was found that white matter in various thalamic subnuclear tracts is related to medication status, age of onset and recurrence in MDD. ConclusionsStructural connectivity was generally reduced in thalamic subnuclei in MDD participants. Several clinical characteristics are related to perturbed subnuclear thalamic connectivity with cortical and subcortical circuits that govern sensory processing, emotional function, and goal-directed behavior.

Linking human cerebral and ocular waste clearance: Insights from tear fluid and ultra-high field MRI

Impaired cerebral waste clearance (i.e., glymphatics) is evident in aging and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, where an impaired waste clearance system could be related to the accumulation of pathological proteins (e.g., tau). One marker of impaired cerebral clearance is the abundance of enlarged perivascular spaces (PVS). Preclinical studies propose a similar clearance system in the eye, driven by intraocular pressure (IOP). This cross-sectional pilot study explores the link between ocular and the cerebral waste clearance by examining the association between MRI-visible PVS, tear total-tau, and IOP.Thirty cognitively healthy participants, all aged over 55 years, underwent 7 T MRI, with PVS visually rated in the centrum semiovale (CSO) and basal ganglia. Tear fluid was collected using paper Schirmer's strips and analyzed for total-tau using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IOP was measured using non-contact tonometry. Partial Spearman's correlation coefficients of eye and brain markers were calculated, adjusted for age, sex, tear-wetting length, and hemispheric region of interest volume.Higher CSO PVS scores in the left and right hemisphere were associated with higher levels of tear total-tau. Higher CSO PVS scores in both hemispheres were related to lower ipsilateral IOP. The exploratory results suggest that higher tear total-tau and a reduced driving force of ocular waste clearance are connected to impaired cerebral waste clearance in cognitive healthy individuals. This study connects the potential ocular glymphatic system to cerebral waste clearance. Clarifying waste clearance biology and validating eye biomarkers for cerebral waste clearance could provide treatment targets and diagnostic opportunities for neurological diseases.

Radiofrequency Enhancer to Recover Signal Dropouts in 7 Tesla Diffusion MRI.

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) allows for a non-invasive visualization and quantitative assessment of white matter architecture in the brain by characterizing restrictions on the random motion of water molecules. Ultra-high field MRI scanners, such as those operating at 7 Tesla (7T) or higher, can boost the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to improve dMRI compared with what is attainable at conventional field strengths such as 3T or 1.5T. However, wavelength effects at 7T cause reduced transmit magnetic field efficiency in the human brain, mainly in the posterior fossa, manifesting as signal dropouts in this region. Recently, we reported a simple approach of using a wireless radiofrequency (RF) surface array to improve transmit efficiency and signal sensitivity at 7T. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the RF enhancer in improving in vivo dMRI at 7T. The electromagnetic simulation results demonstrated a 2.1-fold increase in transmit efficiency with the use of the RF enhancer. The experimental results similarly showed a 1.9-fold improvement in transmit efficiency and a 1.4-fold increase in normalized SNR. These improvements effectively mitigated signal dropouts in regions with inherently lower SNR, such as the cerebellum, resulting in a better depiction of principal fiber orientations and an enhanced visualization of extended tracts.

Prospective 3D Fat Navigator (FatNav) motion correction for 7T Terra MRI.

Ultra-high field (7T) MRI allows scans at sub-millimetre resolution with exquisite signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). As 7T MRI becomes more widely used clinically, the challenge of patient motion must be overcome. Retrospective motion correction is used successfully for some protocols, but for acquisitions such as slice-by-slice scans only prospective motion correction can deliver the full potential of 7T MRI. We report the first implementation of prospective 3D Fat Navigator ("FatNav") motion correction for the Siemens 7T Terra MRI. We implemented a modular Sequence Building Block for FatNav and embedded it into the vendor's gradient-recalled echo (GRE) sequence. We modified the reconstruction pipeline to reconstruct FatNav images online, coregistering them and sending motion updates to the host sequence online. We tested five registration algorithms for performance and accuracy on synthetic FatNav data. We implemented the best three of these in our sequence and tested them online. We acquired T1 and T2* weighted brain images of healthy volunteers correcting every other image for motion to visualise the effectiveness of online motion correction. Data were acquired with and without head immobilisation. We also tested performance while correcting every measurement for motion. Our implementation uses a 1.23 s 3D FatNav acquisition module and delivers motion updates in less than 3s, which is sufficient for motion updates every few k-space lines in typical scans. Corrected images are crisper with fewer visible motion artefacts. This improved sharpness is reflected quantitatively by an increase in the variance of the image Laplacian which is 1.59 x better for corrected vs uncorrected images. Profiles across the cerebral falx are 33% steeper for corrected vs uncorrected images. Prospective FatNav improves GRE image quality in the brain. Our modular Sequence Building Block provides a simple method to integrate motion correction in 7T MRI pulse sequences.

Large improvement in RF magnetic fields and imaging SNR with whole-head high-permittivity slurry helmet for human-brain MRI applications at 7 T.

To optimize the design and demonstrate the integration of a helmet-shaped container filled with a high-permittivity material (HPM) slurry with RF head coil arrays to improveRF coil sensitivity and SNR for human-brain proton MRI. RF reception magneticfields ( ) of a 32-channel receive-only coil array with various geometries and permittivity values of HPM slurry helmet are calculated with electromagnetic simulation at 7 T. A 16-channel transmit-only coil array, a 32-channel receive-only coil array, and a 2-piece HPM slurry helmet were constructed and assembled. RF transmission magnetic field ( ), , and MRI SNR maps from the entire human brain were measured and compared. Simulations showed that averaged improvement with the HPM slurry helmet increased from 57% to 87% as the relative permittivity (εr) of HPM slurry increased from 110 to 210. In vivo experiments showed that the average improvement over the human brain was 14.5% with the two-piece HPM slurry (εr ≈ 170) helmet, and the average and SNR were improved 63% and 34%, respectively, because the MRI noise level was increased by the lossy HPM. The RF coil sensitivity and MRI SNR were largely improved with the two-piece HPM slurry helmet demonstrated by both electromagnetic simulations and in vivo human head experiments at 7 T. The findings demonstrate that incorporating an easily producible HPM slurry helmet into the RF coil array significantly enhances human-brain MRI SNRhomogeneity and quality at ultrahigh field. Greater SNR improvement is anticipated using the less lossy HPM and optimal design.

Closed-loop fMRI at the mesoscopic scale of columns and layers: Can we do it and why would we want to?

Technological advances in fMRI including ultra-high magnetic fields (≥ 7 T) and acquisition methods that increase spatial specificity have paved the way for studies of the human cortex at the scale of layers and columns. This mesoscopic scale promises an improved mechanistic understanding of human cortical function so far only accessible to invasive animal neurophysiology. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have applied such methods to better understand the cortical function in perception and cognition. This future perspective article asks whether closed-loop fMRI studies could equally benefit from these methods to achieve layer and columnar specificity. We outline potential applications and discuss the conceptual and concrete challenges, including data acquisition and volitional control of mesoscopic brain activity. We anticipate an important role of fMRI with mesoscopic resolution for closed-loop fMRI and neurofeedback, yielding new insights into brain function and potentially clinical applications.This article is part of the theme issue 'Neurofeedback: new territories and neurocognitive mechanisms of endogenous neuromodulation'.

Iron load in the normal aging brain measured with QSM and at 7T: findings of the SENIOR cohort.

Iron accumulates in the brain during aging and is the focus of intensive research as an abnormal load, particularly in Deep Gray Matter (DGM), is related to neurodegeneration. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) metrics such as Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM) and apparent transverse relaxation rate can be used to follow up iron in vivo. While the influence of age and sex on iron levels has already been reported, a careful consideration of neuronal risk factors, as well as for an enhanced sensitivity, is needed to define the normal evolution. QSM and at ultra-high field MRI are used to study iron in DGM using a carefully-characterized cohort of the healthy aging brain (SENIOR). Seventy-seven cognitively healthy elders (from 54 to 78 y/o) with clinical, biology, genetics, and cardiovascular risk factors careful evaluation. Differences linked with age, sex, cardiovascular risk factors and weight are studied. Age and sex have an influence on the brain iron deposition measured by QSM and in a context of normal aging, without appearance of a pathological neurodegenerative process. Iron deposition shows higher values in the caudate and the putamen in older participants. Female participants present a higher level of iron in the amygdala, and males in the thalamus. Female participants also present differences in the accumbens, caudate and hippocampus when evaluating the joint age and sex effect. Participants with higher cardiovascular risk factors showed higher values of the iron, even without any impairment in their cognitive capability. An overweight is related with a higher iron load in the putamen for QSM and in female participants. We controlled that these modifications of iron deposition are not related to a specific profile in the genotype of ApoE loci. Establishing baseline values of QSM and as iron probes in the context of aging is essential to determine differences in the process of neurodegeneration. Age and sex of participants are important factors that affect brain iron normal values. On the other hand, the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, which can be associated with age related diseases, can also potentially be linked with the iron deposition in the brain.

RF coil design strategies for improving SNR at the ultrahigh magnetic field of 10.5T.

Toward pushing the boundaries of ultrahigh fields for human brain imaging, we wish to evaluate experimentally achievable SNR relative to ultimate intrinsic SNR (uiSNR) at 10.5T, develop design strategies toward approaching the latter, quantify magnetic field-dependent SNR gains, and demonstrate the feasibility of whole-brain, high-resolution human brain imaging at this uniquely high field strength. A dual row 16-channel self-decoupled transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) array was developed for 10.5T using custom Tx/Rx switches. A 64-channel receive-only array was built to fit into the 16-channel Tx/Rx array. Electromagnetic modeling and experiments were used to define safe operational power limits. Experimental SNR was evaluated relative to uiSNR at 10.5T and 7T. The 64-channel Rx array alone captured approximately 50% of the central uiSNR at 10.5T, while an identical array developed for 7T captured about 76% of uiSNR at 7T. The 16-channel Tx/80-channel Rx configuration brought the fraction of uiSNR captured at 10.5T to levels comparable to the 64-channel Rx array at 7T. SNR data displayed an approximate dependence over a large central region when evaluated in the context of uiSNR. Whole-brain, high-resolution -weighted and T1-weighted anatomical and gradient-recalled-echo BOLD-EPI functional MRI images were obtained at 10.5T for the first time with such an advanced array. We demonstrated the ability to approach the uiSNR at 10.5T over the human brain, achieving large SNR gains over 7T, currently the most commonly used ultrahigh-field platform. Whole-brain, high-resolution anatomical and EPI-based functional MRI data were obtained at 10.5T, illustrating the promise of greater than 10T fields in studying the human brain.

Superior energy storage performance in NaNbO3‐based lead‐free ceramics under low electric field

AbstractNaNbO3 (NN)‐based materials have attracted widespread attention due to their advanced energy storage performance and eco‐friendliness. However, achieving high recoverable energy storage densities (Wrec) and efficiency (η) typically requires ultrahigh electric fields (E &gt; 300 kV/cm), which can limit practical use. In this work, we present a synergistic strategy that employs the ferroelectric material Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 (BNT) to augment the Pmax and the linear material Bi0.2Sr0.7TiO3 (BST) to optimize the P–E loops. Furthermore, a two‐step sintering process is implemented to preserve high Pmax values under lower electric field. As a result, ternary (1−x)(0.90NN‐0.10BNT)‐xBST was successfully prepared, achieving a high Wrec of 5.1 J/cm3 and a η of 85% in x = 0.20 samples at a low electric field of 290 kV/cm. Moreover, the x = 0.20 samples showed good frequency stability (1–200 Hz) and temperature stability (27°C–100°C). These results provide guidance for the development of ceramics with high energy storage properties under low electric fields.

ECCENTRIC: A fast and unrestrained approach for high-resolution in vivo metabolic imaging at ultra-high field MR

Abstract A novel method for fast and high-resolution metabolic imaging, called ECcentric Circle ENcoding TRajectorIes for Compressed sensing (ECCENTRIC), has been developed at 7 Tesla MRI. ECCENTRIC is a non-Cartesian spatial-spectral encoding method designed to accelerate magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) with high signal-to-noise at ultra-high field. The approach provides flexible and random sampling of the Fourier space without temporal interleaving to improve spatial response function and spectral quality. ECCENTRIC enables the implementation of spatial-spectral MRSI with reduced gradient amplitudes and slew-rates, thereby mitigating electrical, mechanical, and thermal stress of the scanner hardware. Moreover, it exhibits robustness against timing imperfections and eddy-current delay. Combined with a model-based low-rank reconstruction, this approach enables simultaneous imaging of up to 14 metabolites over the whole brain at 2–3 mm isotropic resolution in 4–10 min. MRSI ECCENTRIC was performed on four healthy volunteers, yielding high-resolution spatial mappings of neurochemical profiles within the human brain. This innovative tool introduces a novel approach to neuroscience, providing new insights into the exploration of brain activity and physiology.

Feasibility of submillimeter functional quantitative susceptibility mapping using 3D echo planar imaging at 7 T.

Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) is a tool for mapping tissue susceptibility. Using QSM for functional brain mapping, it is possible to directly quantify blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) susceptibility changes. This study presents a submillimeter functional QSM (fQSM) approach compared to BOLD fMRI from data acquired with 3D gradient-echo echo planar imaging (EPI) at ultra-high field. Complex EPI data were acquired in nine healthy subjects with varying temporal and spatial resolutions and used for BOLD fMRI and for fQSM. Right-hand finger tapping experiments were performed as well as one measurement with intentional subject movement. Susceptibility maps were computed using 3D path-based unwrapping, the variable-kernel sophisticated harmonic artifact reduction for phase data, and the streaking artifact reduction for QSM algorithm. Functional data analysis included general linear modeling and computation of z-scores. Submillimeter data were denoised using NOise reduction with DIstribution Corrected (NORDIC), which improved z-scores in the motor cortex for fQSM and fMRI. An expected increase in BOLD fMRI signal and corresponding decrease in magnetic susceptibility was observed in sensorimotor areas during active periods. For all experiments, fQSM showed smaller activation regions compared with fMRI. The percentage of high negative t-values localized in the cortex was higher for fQSM (52%) than for positive or negative t-values for fMRI (45%). For the scans with intentional motion, movement exceeded the size of a voxel, but paradigm dependent signal evolution could be recovered using motion correction. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the feasibility of submillimeter whole-brain fQSM with voxel volume of 0.53 μL. In comparison to traditional BOLD fMRI, fQSM provided improved localization of brain activation within the cortex, especially in submillimeter 3D EPI sequences.

Strain analysis and preliminary test of an all-superconducting high-field magnet generating 32.4 T direct-current magnetic field

Abstract A higher available magnetic field can give more flexibility for significant research and constructions. Inserting feasible high-temperature-superconducting (HTS) magnet inside low-temperature-superconducting (LTS) external is becoming an efficient method to build ultra-high-field (UHF) magnets. However, HTS insert magnets exhibited concentration of magnetic strain during the energization, significantly owing to the screening-current effect. This phenomenon affect the structural integrity of HTS magnets, posing a difficulty for UHF magnets to reach a center field larger than 30 T. In this paper, we report the recent progress of the 35 T all-superconducting UHF magnet project. The full-cycle development of this homemade UHF magnet was a strong collaboration with multiple domestic institutions in China. We used commercial REBa2Cu3O7-x (RE = rare earth element, REBCO) conductors to wind the 20 T HTS insert. Specifically, we optimized the electromagnetic design of this HTS insert with consideration of screening-current induced strain. We applied the no-insulation and metal-as-insulation winding techniques simultaneously to balance the time constant of the two nested REBCO coils. During the excitation test, the HTS insert maintained a 256 A operation current as designed for nearly 18 hours. With the energization of LTS external magnet, the entire facility reached a center field larger than 20 T for 16 hours, 30 T for 6.35 hours and 32 T for 2 hours. It finally reached a 32.4 T center field, at which point the LTS external quenched, inducing the HTS insert to quench as well. After quench, the HTS magnet can maintained 229 A operation current during the postmortem standalone test. This 32.4 T result exhibits effectiveness of considering the screening-current induced strain to enhance the structural integrity of REBCO magnets, and verifies the high reliability of REBCO magnets by generating a long-duration high field environment without any quench accident originating from the REBCO magnet.

Investigating the effective temporal resolution in a task-based functional MRI experiment at 7 T MRI using a dynamic phantom

Abstract An increasing number of human fMRI studies aim to discern the time delays between evoked responses under different stimuli conditions in different brain regions. To achieve that, a primary goal is to acquire fMRI data with high sampling rates. This task is now possible with ultra-high field (≥7 T) MRI and the advancement of imaging acceleration methods. Consequently, it becomes imperative to understand what is the actual or effective temporal resolution (ETR) that is realized in given settings of an fMRI experiment. In this study, we utilized a dynamic phantom to reliably repeat a set of scans, generating a “ground truth” signal with controllable onset delays mimicking fMRI responses in a task-based block-designed fMRI. Here, we define the ETR and quantify a scan’s ETR using the dynamic phantom. The quantification was performed for various scanning parameters, including echo time (TE), repetition time (TR), voxel size, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). We further show that combining data from multi-echo EPI can improve the ETR (i.e., reduce it). In addition, parameters of the fMRI paradigm were examined, including the blocks’ length and density. As tissue properties (e.g., level of iron deposition) affect the CNR and thus change the ETR, we examined the signal rise mimicking not only the cortex, but also the basal ganglia (known for its high iron deposition). Combining multi-echo data, the estimated ETR for the examined scans was 151 ms for a cortex-mimicking setup and 248 ms for a basal ganglia-mimicking setup, when scanning with a sampling time (i.e., TR) of 600 ms. Yet, a substantial penalty was paid when the CNR was low, in which case the ETR was even larger than the TR. A feasibility set of experiments was also designed to evaluate how the ETR is affected by physiological signal fluctuations and the variability of the hemodynamic response. This study shows the viability of studying time responses with fMRI, by demonstrating that a very short ETR can be achieved. However, it also emphasizes the need to examine the attainable ETR for a particular experiment.

31P multi-echo MRSI with low B1 + dual-band refocusing RF pulses.

31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) can spectrally resolve metabolites involved in phospholipid metabolism whose levels are altered in many cancers. Ultra-high field facilitates the detection of phosphomonoesters (PMEs) and phosphodiesters (PDEs) with increased SNR and spectral resolution. Utilizing multi-echo MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) further enhances SNR and enables T2 information estimation per metabolite. To address the specific absorption rate (SAR) challenges associated with high-power demanding adiabatic or composite block pulses in multi-echo phosphorus imaging, we present a dual-band refocusing RF pulse designed for operation at B1 amplitudes of 14.8 μT which holds potential for integration into multi-echo sequences. Phantom and in vivo experiments conducted in the brain at 7Tesla validated the effectiveness of this low-power dual-band RF pulse. Furthermore, we implemented the dual-band RF pulse into a multi-echo MRSI sequence where it offered the potential to increase the number of echo pulses within the same acquisition time compared to high-power adiabatic implementation, demonstrating its feasibility and practicality.

The temporal specificity of BOLD fMRI is systematically related to anatomical and vascular features of the human brain.

The ability to detect fast responses with functional MRI depends on the speed of hemodynamic responses to neural activity, because hemodynamic responses act as a temporal low-pass filter which blurs rapid changes. However, the shape and timing of hemodynamic responses are highly variable across the brain and across stimuli. This heterogeneity of responses implies that the temporal specificity of fMRI signals, or the ability of fMRI to preserve fast information, could also vary substantially across the cortex. In this work we investigated how local differences in hemodynamic response timing affect the temporal specificity of fMRI. We used ultra-high field (7T) fMRI at high spatiotemporal resolution, studying the primary visual cortex (V1) as a model area for investigation. We used visual stimuli oscillating at slow and fast frequencies to probe the temporal specificity of individual voxels. As expected, we identified substantial variability in temporal specificity, with some voxels preserving their responses to fast neural activity more effectively than others. We investigated which voxels had the highest temporal specificity, and tested whether voxel timing was related to anatomical and vascular features. We found that low temporal specificity is only weakly explained by the presence of large veins or cerebral cortical depth. Notably, however, temporal specificity depended strongly on a voxel's position along the anterior-posterior anatomical axis of V1, with voxels within the calcarine sulcus being capable of preserving close to 25% of their amplitude as the frequency of stimulation increased from 0.05Hz to 0.20Hz, and voxels nearest to the occipital pole preserving less than 18%. These results indicate that detection biases in high-resolution fMRI will depend on the anatomical and vascular features of the area being imaged, and that these biases will differ depending on the timing of the underlying neuronal activity. While we attribute this variance primarily to hemodynamic effects, neuronal nonlinearities may also influence response timing. Importantly, this spatial heterogeneity of temporal specificity suggests that it could be exploited to achieve higher specificity in some locations, and that tailored data analysis strategies may help improve the detection and interpretation of fast fMRI responses.

REBCO tapes for applications in ultra-high fields: critical current surface and scaling relations

Abstract REBa2Cu3O7−x (REBCO) tapes produced by leading manufacturers were tested at UNIGE to characterize the dependence of the critical current on temperature, field intensity and orientation. This measurement campaign was carried out in the frame of international collaborations having the common goal of developing technology for ultra-high field magnets in the 30–50 T range. The examined samples differ in many respects, e.g. processing methods, thickness of the superconducting layer, Rare Earth element in REBCO, and type of artificial pinning centers (3D nanoparticles vs extended 1D nanorods). We measured the transport critical current of full-width tapes at 4.2 K and 20 K in magnetic fields up to 19 T and at various orientations of the field with respect to the tape surface. Additionally, magnetic characterization was conducted over a wider temperature range (4.2–77 K). The highly engineered vortex pinning results in outstanding critical current performance for all examined tapes: the non-copper critical current density, i.e. the critical current divided by the wire cross-section area minus the Cu area, ranges between 1500 and 2000 A mm−2 at 4.2 K, 19 T and close to 1000 A mm−2 at 20 K, 19 T in the perpendicular field orientation. We obtained scaling expressions for the critical current surface based on the analysis of the pinning-force curves but the pinning-force shape parameters were found to vary from one manufacturer to another. The results presented in this work may offer valuable information not only to magnet designers but also to manufacturers looking to optimize their tapes and achieve better performance.

High-resolution 7T fMRI reveals the visual zone of the human claustrum

Abstract The claustrum is a thin grey matter structure located between the insular cortex and the putamen. The function of the claustrum is largely unknown with diverse hypotheses ranging from multisensory integration and consciousness to attention and cognitive control. Much research on the function of the claustrum relies on invasive techniques in animal models, as the claustrum’s uniquely thin shape makes it difficult to image non-invasively in human subjects. In the current proof-of-concept study, we used high-resolution ultra-high field (7 Tesla) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure activity in the human claustrum during the processing of naturalistic stimuli. We presented short video clips as visual only, auditory only or audiovisual conditions while participants performed a central fixation task. We found distinct visual responses in both the left and the right claustrum at a consistent spatial location across participants, hemispheres and sessions. We also found deactivations in response to auditory stimulation. These deactivations were confined to the right claustrum and did not overlap with visual activity. The deactivation in response to auditory stimulation demonstrates the complexity of claustrum’s functional organization and suggests functional differentiation within the claustrum. This is the first study to demonstrate sensory-specific effects within the human claustrum. It opens the possibility for studying the claustrum’s role in higher-level aspects of sensory processing in humans.