7T Translational Alliance of North America (7TANA) Musculoskeletal Protocol Survey – State-of-the-Art and Potential Towards a Common Protocol

Motivation: The 7T Translational Alliance in North America (7TANA) was formed to facilitate the clinical translation of 7T MRI. Goal(s): To assess the current state of MSK protocols used at 7TANA sites and explore the potential for creating a shared standard protocol pool. Approach: A survey was conducted across five 7TANA sites to gather data on both basic and advanced MSK protocols. Results: The basic protocols aligned around DESS and TSE sequences, with and without fat-suppression, including T1-, T2-, and PD-weighted TSE sequences. The advanced protocols varied across sites, such as DESS, 3D T2* mapping, SPACE, MAPSS, diffusion, and sodium imaging sequences. Impact: Despite notable differences in hardware and software across the 7T sites, developing a common protocol through community consensus is achievable. These protocols will be accessible on the 7TANA website (www.7TANA.org) to promote the translation of 7T MRI into clinical practice.