Comparative Analysis of 5.0 T, 3.0 T, and 1.5 T MRI for Upper Abdominal Imaging: A Prospective Study on Diagnostic Quality and Confidence

By
Liuhong Zhu
Danlan Lian
Funan Wang
Anjie Xie
Jiaqi Wang
Hao Liu
Jianjun Zhou
September 28, 2026

European Radiology

Overview

This study systematically compares upper abdominal MRI image quality at 1.5 T, 3.0 T, and 5.0 T.

Background

High-quality MRI is crucial for accurate liver disease diagnosis, with field strength significantly impacting image resolution and contrast. While 1.5 T and 3.0 T systems are standard in clinical practice, the advent of 5.0 T MRI offers potential enhancements in image quality.

Data Highlights

Field Strength	Number of Patients	Image Quality Assessment
1.5 T	150	Subjective and Objective
3.0 T	150	Subjective and Objective
5.0 T	150	Subjective and Objective

Key Findings

5.0 T MRI demonstrated higher signal-to-noise ratio compared to 3.0 T and 1.5 T.
Increased cardiac motion artifacts were noted at 5.0 T.
Liver T2-weighted signal inhomogeneity was more pronounced at 5.0 T.
Diffusion-weighted geometric distortion required optimization at 5.0 T.
Liver parenchymal signal uniformity was high across all field strengths.

Clinical Implications

The findings suggest that while 5.0 T MRI offers significant advantages in image quality, clinicians should be aware of potential artifacts that may affect diagnostic accuracy. Protocol optimization is essential for effective implementation in routine clinical practice.