Description
Designed to overcome the limitations for many of today’s clinical MR systems, the SIGNA 7T is a powerful new platform for advancing neurological research and clinical translation. Approximately five times more powerful than most clinical systems, SIGNA 7T is designed to detect subtle structures that may be significant for clinicians and researchers alike. Boost advanced applications with GE HealthCare’s most powerful whole-body gradient platform to date, delivering exceptional resolution and contrast-to-noise ratio.
The SIGNA 7T MRI scanner is primarily intended for brain imaging as well as imaging of extremities, such as the knee. It delivers impressive results with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional MRI (fMRI) studies for advanced clinical and research scanning.
G-MedTech –
In January 2026, the GE HealthCare team finished the installation of the CE-marked and FDA-cleared SIGNA™ 7.0T at the Z1 Research Center in Zellik (Flanders), near Brussels, Belgium. This effort is a result of a collaboration between five Flemish universities (VUB, KU Leuven, UGent, UAntwerpen, and UHasselt) and four university hospitals (UZ Brussel, UZ Leuven, UZ Gent, and UZ Antwerpen) composing the Flanders Inter-University Ultra-High-Field MR Research Center, or FIN2U 7T consortium.
“A large group of researchers will now be able to use this new technology to conduct both fundamental and clinical research. A more precise delineation of essential brain areas in patients with brain tumors is possible with 7 Tesla, as well as improved diagnostics for patients with epilepsy, brain trauma and neurodegenerative disorders.”
— Stefan Sunaert, MD, PhD, Professor and radiologist at KU Leuven and UZ Leuven.
“We will be able to study neurometabolic processes more accurately. Neurometabolites can provide an indication of the brain’s state of health. Thanks to the resolution of 7 Tesla, we will be able to detect neurometabolic abnormalities more rapidly and quantify neurometabolites present at lower concentrations with greater precision. This will allow us to more specifically assess the effectiveness of exercise and rehabilitation programs.”
— Koen Cuypers, PhD, Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy at Hasselt University.
G-MedTech –
“The gradient performance of SIGNA™ 7.0T is top of the line. We have improved RF capabilities and many new software features will provide us a common advanced scanning platform across systems. Overall, the workflow is substantially improved and that will facilitate scanning at 7.0T.”
“It was amazing how much the knee imaging improved. We are definitely much further ahead than I would have expected with a new system install. I was anticipating more work to get it up and running.”
“With 7.0T, we can enhance spatial resolution in gray/white matter differentiation, whether that is with IR prep or Cube-based variable flip angle sequences, to provide additional anatomic information that we can’t get at 3.0T.”
“There will be some things we can do on MAGNUS that are more challenging at 7.0T due to gradient performance, as well as some physical properties, such as faster T2 decay at 7.0T compared to 3.0T. There are some really exciting opportunities with MAGNUS in diffusion imaging and white matter assessment, coupled with high-resolution imaging, that may provide an extraordinary understanding of what is happening in the brain across different clinical indications or diseases.”
“There are some studies that are just ripe for 7.0T. We have new data from SIGNA™ 7.0T that also suggests we may be able to distinguish the head of the hippocampus from the amygdala, which has traditionally not been possible. This has implications for studies of Alzheimer’s disease and also may inform when to start treatment. There is so much room for growth and advancement with 7.0T.”
— Vince A. Magnotta, PhD
Director of the MR Research Facility and Professor of Radiology – Division of Neuroradiology University of Iowa