WHAT’S NEW IN? MR imaging of the neonatal brain at 3 Tesla Mary Rutherford * , Christina Malamateniou, Julie Zeka, Serena Counsell Imaging Sciences Department, Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 ONN, UK Received 29 July 2004; accepted 9 August 2004 KEYWORDS Neonate; brain; magnetic resonance imaging; 3 Telsa Summary 3 Telsa MR scanners are now becoming more widely available and 3 Telsa is likely to become the filed strength of choice for clinical imaging of the brain. The neonatal brain can be safely and successfully imaged at 3 Telsa. The improved signal to noise afforded by a higher field strength may be used to improve image quality or shorten acquisition times. This may be exploited for conventional T1 and T2 weighted imaging and also for advanced techniques such as diffusion tensor imaging, angiography and functional magnetic resonance studies. Q 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of European Paediatric Neurology Society. Introduction Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has revolutio- nised neuropediatrics. The worldwide availability of MR facilities has resulted in detailed images of the brain in a wide range of neurological disorders. These more specific phenotypes have resulted in the identification of new syndromes and the realisation that a specific genetic defect may manifest in a variety of phenotypes. Most clinical MR imaging is performed at 0.5–1.5 T. More recently a generation of 3T MR scanners has become available and current opinion is that 3 T MR imaging will become the clinical standard, initially in neuroimaging, and eventually throughout the body. The greater signal-to-noise (SNR) afforded with higher field strengths may be exploited to improve image quality or to shorten acquisition times. There are now several reviews and studies comparing 1.5–3 T imaging of the brain in adults. 1–3 Systems with 3 T have been exploited to increase detection of multiple sclerosis lesions, 4 to improve the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) effect for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and to improve enhancement following contrast administration. 5 There is as yet little information about the role and use of 3T imaging in the paediatric population. Increased field strength provides not only increased SNR, but increased susceptibility caused by paramag- netic effects due to local heterogeneity in magnetic field from, for instance, the frontal sinuses. Highfield imaging also results in increased chemical shift and increased heat deposition [specific absorption rates (SARs)]. Radiofrequency (RF) power varies with the square of the field strength, therefore imaging at 3 T, produces four times more RF power and sequences may have to be adjusted to operate within radiological safety guidelines. These limits are usually preset into the scanner software. The SAR at 3 T is not prohibitive for neonatal and infant scanning, as sequences can be European Journal of Paediatric Neurology (2004) 8, 281–289 www.elsevier.com/locate/ejpn 1090-3798/$ - see front matter Q 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of European Paediatric Neurology Society. doi:10.1016/j.ejpn.2004.08.003 * Corresponding author. E-mail address: m.rutherford@imperial.ac.uk (M. Rutherford).