The Amsterdam Ultra-high field adult lifespan database (AHEAD): A freely available multimodal 7 Tesla submillimeter magnetic resonance imaging database

Abstract

Normative databases allow testing of novel hypotheses without the costly collection of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. Here we present the Amsterdam Ultra-high field adult lifespan database (AHEAD). The AHEAD consists of 105 7 Tesla (T) whole-brain structural MRI scans tailored specifically to imaging of the human subcortex, including both male and female participants and covering the entire adult life span (18-80 yrs). We used these data to create probability maps for the subthalamic nucleus, substantia nigra, internal and external segment of the globus pallidus, and the red nucleus. Data was acquired at a submillimeter resolution using a multi-echo (ME) extension of the second gradient-echo image of the MP2RAGE sequence (MP2RAGEME) sequence, resulting in complete anatomical alignment of quantitative, R₁-maps, R₂*-maps, T₁-maps, T₁-weighted images, T₂*-maps, and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM). Quantitative MRI maps, and derived probability maps of basal ganglia structures are freely available for further analyses.

Keywords: Basal ganglia; Probabilistic maps; Subcortex; Ultra-high field 7 Tesla structural MRI.