Essen

The Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (ELH) is an interdisciplinary research institution for the development, evaluation and application of ultrahigh-field magnetic resonance imaging (UHF MRI) in neuroimaging research and in medical diagnostics and therapy. The international institute was founded in July 2005 by the two founding universities University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany and by the Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Thus, in the year 2025 the ELH celebrates its 20th anniversary. In October 2006 the Erwin L Hahn Institute for MRI has started its research activities at its exceptional location, the historic industrial and UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site Zeche (Coal mine) and Kokerei (Coking plant) Zollverein in the north of Essen. In 2020 after 14 years of 7T MRI research the first 7 Tesla UHF MRI system at the ELH has been exchanged to a state of the art Siemens MAGNETOM Terra 7 Tesla UHF MRI system. In the 20 years since its foundation, the ELH with its nine research groups has pioneered the development and evaluation of numerous new methods and hardware components and clinical applications of 7 Tesla in “Brain and Body UHF MRI”. Our ELH PIs are among the founders of the DFG-funded GUFI network in the year 2016. Further, our ELH PIs are actively involved in both current 14-Tesla initiatives in the Netherlands and in Germany.

Research areas

• 7T whole-body UHF MRI: abdominal, cardiac and prostate MR imaging
• 7T Neuroimaging & functoinal (f)MRI
• Development of radiofrequency (RF-) components and transmit/receive RF coils
• Safety of RF coils and implants in UHF MRI
• Standardisation and quality assurance in UHF MRI
• Sequences and methods for signal homogenization cpTx, HF-shimming, TIAMO)
• Spectroscopy (GABA, 31P prostate) and chemical sift imaging

Facilities

MAGNETOM Terra 7 Tesla MRI System (Siemens Healthineers)
8-channel with each 2 kW parallel transmit system (pTx) (Siemens Healthineers)
64 receiver channels, gradient coil SC72
fMRI: BOLDscreen monitor, audio system, eye tracking system, electro stimulator, response box interface, physiologic data recording with Biopac and Brain Products
Various larger 3D printers with MR compatible materials and print sizes (max. 500 x 400 x 450 mm3) for 3D printing of RF coil housings and MRI phantoms
2x H100 Nvidia cluster for fast RF simulations and deep learning applications


RF coils:
Head coil 1Tx/32Rx (Nova Medical, Wilmington, USA)
Head coil 8pTx/32Rx (Nova Medical; Wilmington, USA)
Knee coil 1Tx/28Rx (QED)
Head coil 8Tx/8Rx (Eigenentwicklung ELH)
Shoulder coil 8Tx/16Rx (Eigenentwicklung ELH)
Body coil 8Tx/32Rx (Eigenentwicklung ELH)
Ankle joint coil 8Tx/8Rx (Eigenentwicklung ELH)
Prostate coil, endorektal, 1H/31P (Eigenentwicklung ELH)
Small animal coil, mice and rats, 1H/19F, pTx (Eigenentwicklung)
Body coil 8Tx/24Rx für 1H plus 1Tx/4Rx für 31P, (TDC, Zaltbommel, NL)

Contact

Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging
UNESCO-Weltkulturerbe Zollverein
Leitstand Kokerei Zollverein
Kokereiallee 7, Gebäude C84
45141 Essen
http://hahn-institute.de

Univ.-Prof. Dr. rer. medic. Harald H. Quick
Managing Director
Phone: Tel.: +49 201 723-84541
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.