GIRF Characterization of Three Preclinical High-Performance Gradient Systems at 9.4T

Motivation: The imperfections of pre-clinical high-performance gradient systems are largely unknown, especially at ultra-high field strength. Goal(s): To gain an understanding of the gradient system response of such hardware at 9.4T. Approach: We measure the gradient impulse response function (GIRF) of three high-performance gradient systems: two with identical specifications (660 mT/m), but mounted in different scanners, and one small-diameter insert, with a substantially higher maximum amplitude of 1450 mT/m. Results: The GIRF of the small-diameter insert stands out distinctly when comparing all three systems. The two differently mounted, but otherwise identical systems only show subtle differences in their GIRFs. Impact: We measure and compare the impulse response of different high-performance gradient systems at 9.4T. This marks the first step towards assessing and correcting for the imperfections and resulting artifacts of such hardware.