Future Prospects

The Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging has long since established itself as an international centre of excellence for research in ultra high field MRI. The intensive interdisciplinary collaboration at the ELH between engineers, natural scientists, psychologists and clinicians opens up opportunities for unique scientific cooperation and research activities. This collaborative approach between all those involved is indispensable for the success of the ELH and is to be extended further.

Method development for systematic investigation of the principles of cognitive processes in the healthy brain, the physiology of the human cerebellum, and pain research using UHF MRI will continue to be advanced as research priorities of the Erwin L. Hahn Institute.

Installation of the 32-channel RF transmit/ receive coil and accompanying RF components directly in the 7 Tesla MRI system marks a technological breakthrough that puts the ELH in a unique position in UHF MRI worldwide. It enables the researchers and cooperation partners at the ELH to also use the benefits of UHF MRI beyond its neuroimaging applications in all parts of the human body. In particular, cancer diagnosis using high-resolution UHF MRI and nano-MRI contrast agents can now be improved further and, based on experience with prostate cancer diagnosis, extended to other organs and types of tumour.