Magnetic resonance imaging protocols for examination of the neurocranium at 3T

The increasing availability of high-field (3T) MR scanners requires adapting and optimizing clinical imaging protocols to exploit the theoretically higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the higher field strength. Our aim was to establish reliable and stable protocols meeting the clinical demands for imaging the neurocranium at 3T. Two hundred patients with a broad range of indications received an examination of the neurocranium with an appropriate assortment of imaging techniques at 3T. Several imaging parameters were optimized. Keeping scan times comparable to those at 1.5T we increased spatial resolution. Contrast-enhanced and non-enhanced T1-weighted imaging was best applying gradient-echo and inversion recovery (rather than spin-echo) techniques, respectively. For fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging a TE of 120ms yielded optimum contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). High-resolution isotropic 3D data sets were acquired within reasonable scan times. Some artifacts were pronounced, but generally imaging profited from the higher SNR. We present a set of optimized examination protocols for neuroimaging at 3T, which proved to be reliable in a clinical routine setting.