Ultrahigh field (7T) MRI and Alzheimer’s disease

Tsutomu Nakada

Center for Integrated Human Brain Science, Brain Research Institute, University of Niigata

The development of non-invasive methods capable of affording ever higher resolution images is an ongoing major objective of scientific investigation for the benefit of both clinical medicine and neuroscience. Since its development in the early 1970’s, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has remained a technology of choice for medical imaging development. The substantial clinical experience with 3T system has made evident that there is a definite limit to which higher spatial resolution in and of itself will improve information for clinical judgment, rather, it is essential to develop the entire study as a whole, which would allow for selection of an optimal combination of all the study elements, especially the appropriate contrast mechanism. Ligand based MRI molecular microimaing utilizing JJ Vicinal Coupling Proton Exchange(JJVCPE)technique on 7T system is likely to be the ultimate method, allowing for early detection of senile plaques in normal population.

Address correspondence to Dr.Tsutomu Nakada, Center for Integrated Human Brain Science, Brain Research Institute, University of Niigata (1-747 Asahimachi, Chuoh-ku, Niigata 951-8585, Japan)