Using ultra－high resolution 7－T MRI scanners to enhance clinical research

초정밀 MRI로 인체 구석구석 들여다본다
Korean researchers plan to buy the most powerful device available to take pictures of the human body.
Won Ji－hyun reports how the technology could help treat some of the most deadly diseases in the country.
Vascular disease is the second leading cause of death in Korea after cancer.
To treat vascular disease， accurate scanning and diagnosis are crucial.
That′s why scientists at the Korea Basic Science Institute have decided to invest in a 7－tesla MRI scanner， the most powerful on the market.
Magnetic resonance imaging， more commonly known as MRI， is a technique that uses magnetic pulses... to create pictures of the insides of the human body.
And the strength of the magnets inside these machines are rated... by a measurement unit called tesla.
″Most hospitals use 3－tesla MRI machines for clinical purposes.
Compared to the standard 3－tesla system，... the new 7－tesla scanners can create ultra－high resolution images... with micrometer precision.″
Despite these upgrades， housing one of these machines is not simple.
A 7－tesla scanner weighs around 48 tons， which is heavier than six full－grown male elephants.
Plus， with a price tag of more than six－million dollars each，... the 7－tesla scanners are about three times more expensive than the 3－tesla machines.
But it′s a price that scientists around the world are willing to pay.
They say the 7－tesla machines will significantly improve brain imaging quality，... and open new doors to advanced clinical research.
Won Ji－hyun， Arirang News.

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