Clinical Applications of 7T Spectroscopy

Want to learn more about ultra-high field (7 Tesla and above) MRI? Think UCLA should get a 7 T human scanner? Some people marvel at the high-resolution brain structural and white-matter tractography images obtained at 7 T, and at the clear, sharp MR spectra. Others, pointing to technical challenges, caution, “Ultra-high field is not for the faint of heart!” Still others think 7 T MRI is just a high-end toy for researchers? This lecture, the first of our 2025 season, will give an introduction to ultra-high field MRI with emphasis on magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), including prospects for real-world clinical applications. Great chance to get informed or updated on ultra-high field neuroimaging.

Our speaker will be Dr. Alexander Lin. Dr. Lin is an esteemed MR methods specialist and pioneering ultra-high field investigator working in areas such as real-time fMRI and functional MRS. He has long-standing expertise in clinical applications of MRS and has investigated conditions such as TBI, PTSD, and bipolar disorder. For several years he taught MRS to radiologists and MR technologists, so we may expect a didactically adept presentation. Finally, Dr. Lin has offered to share his recent results on effects of vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) and trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) on the brain. The letter is a novel, non-pharmaceutical therapy for many conditions, including epilepsy, depression, and (a UCLA innovation) ADHD.