One of the world’s most powerful magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines–the Siemens 7 Tesla (7T) MAGNETOM Terra–is now up and running in the Houston Methodist Research Institute. Activated on March 18, 2019, it is the first of its kind to be approved for clinical use in the U.S., and the first and only FDA-approved 7T in Texas.

Made possible through a Siemens Healthineers and Houston Methodist multi-year consortium agreement, the 7T will facilitate collaboration among clinicians and scientists from across the Texas Medical Center and Houston-area institutions, including The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, the University of Houston, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas A&M University and Rice University. "The Siemens 7T Terra is a new generation MRI scanner capable of displaying anatomical structures with unprecedented clarity and contrast. Through research applications in collaboration with members of the consortium and Siemens Healthineers, we will push the boundaries of MRI for new applications that benefit our patients," said Christof Karmonik, PhD, associate research professor of translational imaging and scientific director of the Translational Imaging Center. To make way for the 7T, along with a new 3 Tesla MRI Siemens Vida installed in December 2018 and a new generation PET/CT in close proximity to a cyclotron, the Houston Methodist Translational Imaging Center underwent major renovations over the past year. The size of the equipment required significant logistical support to move the machinery into the Houston Methodist Research Institute, including removal of the building's front glass panels.