Previously, scans with weaker MRI magnets could show the general outline of the area, but not much detail. And doctors could only detect scar tissue or structural deformities in cases of moderate or severe disease, Henry says. But with 7-T scans, they're hoping to be able to see changes in milder cases.

"These are small parts you could only detect under the microscope if someone died or if they had surgery for some reason," Henry says. "Now we're able to see those structures directly with the 7-T MRI."


In the study, the researchers scanned eight patients with epilepsy, and 11 healthy controls, with the 7-T scanner and a head coil designed by engineers at the center.

With the scans, they were able to find hippocampal sclerosis, a type of hard-to-see scarring associated with epilepsy, in patients with the condition. They also found shrinkage of hippocampal digitations, an early sign of sclerosis which is hard to pick up with current clinical MRIs, Henry says.

7-T vs. 3-T

Much work still needs to be done to validate 7-T, though. Henry says he's working on a follow-up study that directly compares 7-T scans with optimized 3-T scans from the same patients, to get a better sense of the higher-field-strength scanner's clinical utility.

Most researchers expect the signal-to-noise ratio of 7-T to be double that of 3-T, Henry says, but new software will have to be developed to fully exploit 7-T's potential. For now, though, he says looking at the slides, there's a definite qualitative improvement.

"When I look at the images, I can see a lot more detail. But it's hard to put a number to that," he says.

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