First in vivo images of the human brain revealed with the Iseult 11.7T MRI scanner

Abstract The understanding of the human brain is one of the main scientific challenges of the 21st century. In this context, in the early 2000s the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) launched a program to conceive and build the first human MRI scanner operating at 11.7T. More than a decade of developments followed to deliver the magnet while six more years were necessary to complete the commissioning and finally obtain approval from the regulatory agencies to acquire the first ever human brain images in vivo at such magnetic field. We deployed parallel transmission tools to mitigate the radiofrequency field inhomogeneity problem and tame the specific absorption rate. To assure the safety of human imaging at such high field strength, we performed physiological, vestibular, behavioral and genotoxicity measurements on the volunteers. The data shows no evidence of adverse effects. The unprecedented field strength combined with the acquisition techniques deployed yield T2 and T2*-weighted images reaching mesoscale resolutions within short acquisition times and with a high signal and contrast to noise ratio.