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Danish National 7T MR Project

As of 2015, the DRCMR operates one of the strongest MR scanners worldwide and the only one of its caliber in Denmark. The purchase of ths state-of-the-art MR system from Phillips Healthcare was made possible by the John and Birthe Meyer Foundation and the Danish Agence for Science, Technology and Innovation.

The field strength of 7 tesla (T) corresponds with roughly 140.000 times the earth magnetic field and is generated by a 44 ton superconducting electromagnet with its inner part cooled 7T log finalby liquid helium to around -270°C/-450 °F/3 K. 

The ultra-high magnetic field strength of 7T enables us to uncover structure, function and chemistry of the body’s interior with unprecedented precision. As such, it gives us a much more detailed insight into human (patho)physiology as compared to clinical MR scanners, which typically range from 1.5 to 4T. Particularly brain research benefits from the ultra-high field strength.

In the scope of the Danish National 7T MR Project, the 7T scanner is available as a research resource to the whole of Denmark. 7T MR scanners are not approved for clinical use, hence the scanner is fully dedicated to research.

 

Current 7T projects include:

  • Brain diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and spectroscopy (DWS) in multiple sclerosis (MS)
  •  Brain proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in schizophrenia
  •  Brain 1H-MRS, structural imaging and cognition across the lifespan
  •  Liver carbon (13C) MRS in diabetes
  •  A particular focus lies on the development of new MR methodologies and hardware.

 

National collaborations involve:

  • Technical University of Denmark
  • University of Copenhagen
  • Copenhagen University Hospitals

 

International collaborations have been established with:

  • Lund University, Sweden
  • Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
  • University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
  • Korea Basic Science Institute, South Korea

 

 

 

 

Selected Publications

Beck, Mikkel Malling*, Christiansen, L*,  et al. "Transcranial magnetic stimulation of primary motor cortex elicits an immediate transcranial evoked potential." Brain Stimulation (2024).

Madsen, Mads AJ, et al. "Single and paired TMS pulses engage spatially distinct corticomotor representations in human pericentral cortex." bioRxiv (2024): 2024-10.

Bjørndal, J. R., Beck, M. M., Jespersen, L., Christiansen, L., & Lundbye-Jensen, J. (2024). Hebbian priming of human motor learning. Nature Communications15(1), 5126.

Kesselheim, Janine, et al. "Multipulse transcranial magnetic stimulation of human motor cortex produces short-latency corticomotor facilitation via two distinct mechanisms." Journal of Neurophysiology 129.2 (2023): 410-420.

Group Members

Lasse Christiansen

Group Leader

Hartwig R. Siebner

David Meder

Show all group members (12)

External Collaborators

PostDoc Estelle Raffin

Fonctions Cérébrales et Neuromodulation, Université Joseph Fourier & Inserm, U836, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, Grenoble, France


Prof. Olivier David

Fonctions Cérébrales et Neuromodulation, Université Joseph Fourier & Inserm, U836, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, Grenoble, France


Assoc. Prof. Mark Schram Christensen

Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen and Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen.


Prof.  Jens Bo Nielsen

Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen and Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen.


Prof. Torsten Dau

Hearing Systems Group, Department of Electrical Engineering,Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark