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Open‐source practices and resources in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have increased substantially in recent years. This trend started with software and data being published open‐source and, more recently, open‐source hardware designs have become increasingly available. These developments towards a culture of sharing and establishing nonexclusive global collaborations have already improved the reproducibility and reusability of code and designs, while providing a more inclusive approach, especially for low‐income settings. Community‐driven standardization and documentation efforts are further strengthening and expanding these milestones. The future of open‐source MRI is bright and we have just started to discover its full collaborative potential. In this review we will give an overview of open‐source software and open‐source hardware projects in human MRI research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to document and review advances and groundbreaking progress in cardiac and body MR at ultrahigh fields (UHF, B0 ≥ 7.0 T) with the goal to attract talent, clinical adopters, collaborations and resources to the biomedical and diagnostic imaging communities. This review surveys traits, advantages and challenges of cardiac and body MR at 7.0 T. The considerations run the gamut from technical advances to clinical opportunities. Key concepts, emerging technologies, practical considerations, frontier applications and future directions of UHF body and cardiac MR are provided. Examples of UHF cardiac and body imaging strategies are demonstrated. Their added value over the kindred counterparts at lower fields is explored along with an outline of research promises. The achievements of cardiac and body UHF-MR are powerful motivators and enablers, since extra speed, signal and imaging capabilities may be invested to overcome the fundamental constraints that continue to hamper traditional cardiac and body MR applications. If practical obstacles, concomitant physics effects and technical impediments can be overcome in equal measure, sophisticated cardiac and body UHF-MR will help to open the door to new MRI and MRS approaches for basic research and clinical science, with the lessons learned at 7.0 T being transferred into broad clinical use including diagnostics and therapy guiding at lower fields. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of an eight-channel dual-tuned transceiver surface RF coil array for combined 1H/19F MR of the human knee at 7.0 T following application of 19F-containing drugs. The 1H/19F RF coil array includes a posterior module with two 1H loop elements and two anterior modules, each consisting of one 1H and two 19F elements. The decoupling of neighbor elements is achieved by a shared capacitor. Electromagnetic field simulations were performed to afford uniform transmission fields and to be in accordance with RF safety guidelines. Localized 19F MRS was conducted with 47 and 101 mmol/L of flufenamic acid (FA) - a 19F-containing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug - to determine T1 and T2 and to study the 19F signal-to-dose relationship. The suitability of the proposed approach for 1H/19F MR was examined in healthy subjects. Reflection coefficients of each channel were less than −17 dB and coupling between channels was less than −11 dB. QL/ QU was less than 0.5 for all elements. MRS results demonstrated signal stability with 1% variation. T1 and T2 relaxation times changed with concentration of FA: T1/ T2 = 673/31 ms at 101 mmol/L and T1/ T2 = 616/26 ms at 47 mmol/L. A uniform signal and contrast across the patella could be observed in proton imaging. The sensitivity of the RF coil enabled localization of FA ointment administrated to the knee with an in-plane spatial resolution of (1.5 × 1.5) mm2 achieved in a total scan time of approximately three minutes, which is well suited for translational human studies. This study shows the feasibility of combined 1H/19F MRI of the knee at 7.0 T and proposes T1 and T2 mapping methods for quantifying fluorinated drugs in vivo. Further technological developments are necessary to promote real-time bioavailability studies and quantification of 19F-containing medicinal compounds in vivo. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of an eight-channel dual-tuned transceiver surface RF coil array for combined (1)H/(19)F MR of the human knee at 7.0 T following application of (19)F-containing drugs. The (1)H/(19)F RF coil array includes a posterior module with two (1)H loop elements and two anterior modules, each consisting of one (1)H and two (19)F elements. The decoupling of neighbor elements is achieved by a shared capacitor. Electromagnetic field simulations were performed to afford uniform transmission fields and to be in accordance with RF safety guidelines. Localized (19)F MRS was conducted with 47 and 101 mmol/L of flufenamic acid (FA) – a (19)F-containing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug – to determine T1 and T2 and to study the (19)F signal-to-dose relationship. The suitability of the proposed approach for (1)H/(19)F MR was examined in healthy subjects. Reflection coefficients of each channel were less than -17 dB and coupling between channels was less than -11 dB. Q(L)/Q(U) was less than 0.5 for all elements. MRS results demonstrated signal stability with 1% variation. T1 and T2 relaxation times changed with concentration of FA: T1 /T2 = 673/31 ms at 101 mmol/L and T1 /T2 = 616/26 ms at 47 mmol/L. A uniform signal and contrast across the patella could be observed in proton imaging. The sensitivity of the RF coil enabled localization of FA ointment administrated to the knee with an in-plane spatial resolution of (1.5 × 1.5) mm(2) achieved in a total scan time of approximately three minutes, which is well suited for translational human studies. This study shows the feasibility of combined (1)H/(19)F MRI of the knee at 7.0 T and proposes T1 and T2 mapping methods for quantifying fluorinated drugs in vivo. Further technological developments are necessary to promote real-time bioavailability studies and quantification of (19)F-containing medicinal compounds in vivo., (Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)