Mesoscale T2*-weighted MRI of the human cerebellum at 10.5 Tesla: initial experience

Motivation: There is an increasing interest in pursuing ultrahigh resolution human cerebellum MRI at ultrahigh field capitalizing on the increased SNR and CNR. Goal(s): To demonstrate the feasibility and utility of mesoscale T2*-weighted cerebellum MRI at 10.5T by synergizing various techniques. Approach: Data were collected at 0.4-mm isotropic resolution with tailored RF shimming, a custom high density head RF array, and fast motion-robust multi-echo 3D EPI. SWI, quantitative R2* and local field maps were obtained. Results: Our approach produced high quality images, delineating fine cerebellar architecture with improved SNR and contrast. Impact: The demonstrated feasibility and utility of motion-robust mesoscale multi- echo EPI in humans at 10.5T may shed light on future optimal implementation of anatomical T2*-weighted cerebellum MRI at ultrahigh field, paving the way for future neuroscience applications.