Whole-body high-field-strength (3.0-T) MR imaging in clinical practice. Part II. Technical considerations and clinical applications.

This is the second part of a two-part series on the clinical applications of high-field-strength (3.0-T) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and spectroscopy. In this part, the current level of evidence regarding the use of higher magnetic field strengths for cardiac imaging techniques (including the assessment of cardiac anatomy and function), breast and pelvic imaging, musculoskeletal applications, pediatric imaging, and MR spectroscopy is presented. Published data are interpreted from the perspective of the clinical radiologist. Specific difficulties associated with high-field-strength MR for body imaging and for spectroscopic applications are reviewed and compared with the expected or documented added value of high-field-strength MR for clinical patient care. The overall number of studies published on clinical body high-field-strength MR is still small, and there is evidence for a clinical advantage for selected, but not all, body MR imaging applications. Even without published evidence, clinical experience suggests substantial clinical advantages for musculoskeletal and pediatric applications.