COMPARSION 3T AND 7T MAGNETIC RESONANCE IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF SPINE

Magnetska rezonanca (MR) je neinvazivna dijagnostička pretraga koja koristi snažno magnetsko polje za oslikavanje unutarnjih tjelesnih struktura. MR je najpreciznija metoda za oslikavanje kralježnice i kralježnične moždine koja omogućava jasan prikaz sitnih anatomskih detalja. U svakodnevnoj kliničkoj praksi snimanja magnetskom rezonancijom se izvode pri statičkim magnetskim poljima jakosti1,5T i 3T. Međutim, brojna istraživanja na ljudima su provedena snimanjem uređajima ultravisokog polja (eng. Ultra high field - UHF) s jakostima statičkog magnetskog polja od 7T ili više. Uvođenje MR-a 7T ima mnoge prednosti u usporedbi s rutinski korištenim MR-om 3T. Jedna od prednosti je povećanje omjera signala i šuma što omogućuje snimanje s većom prostornom rezolucijom. Osim toga, MR jakosti 7T ima veću osjetljivost za anatomske detalje i promjene unutar tkiva te time pruža više kliničkih informacija u usporedbi s MR-om 3T. Trenutno su 7T MR skuplji te time manje dostupni bolnicama ili kliničkim centrima, pa se većina rutinskih MR snimanja obavlja korištenjem 3T MR-a. Treba naglasiti kako se istraživanja sve više fokusiraju na nadolazeću generaciju UHF sustava pri čemu će snimanje kralježnične moždine uređajem jakosti 10,5T ili više, jednog dana postati realnost.Magnetic resonance imaging (MR) is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that uses a strong magnetic field to image internal body structures. MR is the most precise method for imaging the spine and spinal cord, which enables a clear presentation of small anatomical details. In everyday clinical practice, magnetic resonance imaging is performed with static magnetic fields of strength 1.5T and 3T. However, numerous studies on humans have been conducted using ultrahigh field (UHF) devices with static magnetic field strengths of 7T or more. The introduction of 7T MR has many advantages compared to the routinely used 3T MR. One of the advantages is the increase in the signal-to-noise ratio, which enables recording with a higher spatial resolution. In addition, 7T MR has a greater sensitivity to anatomical details and changes within the tissue, thus providing more clinical information compared to 3T MR. Currently, 7T MRs are more expensive and thus less available to hospitals or clinical centers, so most routine MR imaging is performed using 3T MRs. It should be emphasized that research is increasingly focusing on the upcoming generation of UHF systems, where imaging of the spinal cord with a device with a strength of 10.5T or more will one day become a reality