title: Functional mapping of human motor cortical activation with conventional MR imaging at 1.5 T.
abstract: A conventional 1.5-T magnetic resonance (MR) imager was used to detect signal intensity changes on T2*-weighted images of human motor and sensory cortices during performance of hand and tongue movements. Narrow receiver bandwidths were used to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. Protocols consisting of baseline, motor task, rest, and second motor task periods were performed by nine volunteers. Two-dimensional cross correlation was applied to correct in-plane translation and rotation of the head during the imaging session before the control images were subtracted from the task images. Measurements obtained during finger movement tasks indicated a 3%-8% increase in signal intensity near the contralateral central sulcus and smaller ipsilateral signal intensity increases. Bilateral signal intensity increases were also observed during tongue movement studies. A retrospective image registration technique was used to map the signal changes onto conventional anatomic images, which were used to create integrated three-dimensional models of brain structure and function. These integrated images showed that the highest signal intensity due to hand movement was near the putative central sulcus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Chicago, Ill.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Towle
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Balter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000502:physiology